“Unusually calm weather” also ends up becoming a problem in Dragon Quest 7 for a while, and for much the same reason.
It’s like a sissy-slap fight where nobody’s doing any damage.
Y’know how a storm tends to brew when the main characters of a work of fiction are about to get into a big, epic fight?
Considering the unusually calm weather, I suppose this was inevitable, really.
I wonder if that’s why it was an issue in DQ7. The weather was too calm and ruined everyone’s epic fight scenes. So the party thus has to go on an epic adventure to, uh… be able have epic adventures again.
That’s how logic works, right?
Part 11: Wherein Joat finally gets even.
The next morning…
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Just like we do before every mission, yes.
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Oh… Oh good heavens! I didn’t know where Red was going to end up, but I certainly hoped it wouldn’t look so… MS Paint.
Contemplating cuddles?
Anyway, back to town!
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That reminds me. He didn’t go alone, right? He had two others with him. What happened to them?
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Now it’s my turn. *grabs a tomato*
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It also sounds like where Zapdos would logically have been more likely to rest, but oh well. Maybe the constant thunder was too much even for ver to sleep through?
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…Implying that we honestly asked ver to do so?
Anyway, I just remembered, we need to give Reddybear some brain-gummies!
Even as a bear, he still has that mischievous kitty grin…
Reddybear’s IQ helped it learn how to use PP Checker!
Reddybear’s IQ helped it learn how to use Efficiency Expert!
This one causes the user to prioritize lower-HP targets. It is mutually exclusive with Dedicated Traveler.
Anyway, let’s do some appropriate training and do the Electric Maze, this time!
One of Reddybear’s main attacks is Lick.
That is both adorable and appropriate.
…
Guys.
My level is even with Cherithe’s.
MY LEVEL IS EVEN WITH CHERITHE’S!
Eeee! happy-dances
And then we took zero damage from the fight. Heck, I even no-sold an attack. Me, of all Pokémon!
But sadly, Red did not level up here.
It is time.
Even if Reddybear is still only level 10.
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Maybe we should have specified a time or something.
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“Oh, and Reddybear, too, I guess.”
I must say, I like the music here, too. Subtle, yet suitably climactic.
Oft-underappreciated, but useful!
Just… too bad that I had to get poisoned, without any berries left to cure it, in order to recruit him.
My first idea was to nickname him “Burger King,” but no, I am not so cruel.
The once and future Nidoking.
Okay, maybe just future.
Normally, I would explore more of the floor, but poison is a meanie.
Weee…
Also, that thing at the bottom of the screen is a Pidgeotto. Might I suggest a different place to call home?
…How did that make it past QA?
Woo! At long last!
Alas, Reddybear, this does not bode well for your experience rate.
Woo…
Cherithe is still not quite done being ahead, though.
Alas, items do not appear on the sprites, so we cannot even use it for fashion. Still, money is nice!
Oh, wow, that is quite interesting!
Wow! This is actually happening to me, for once!
This is a bit bittersweet, in a way. Yes, I now have it and it is more appropriate for me than for Malchoir, but at the same time… this is REALLY situational.
Then again, in most cases where I would use Howl, I would otherwise be able to use either Sand Attack or a rock, so I suppose I shall go ahead and get rid of Howl, especially since I have a normal-type in the party.
He even sounds noble upon level-up! “I am most pleased, good sir.”
The second time… To be fair, this time, he was forced to fight Ampharos alone, because we were flanked in a hallway. Get Away does not exactly help, there.
Those are always quite nice!
…Um?
Well, okay, then. I guess that is a sign of what is to come.
Though, this non-grid-movement section also probably means we’ll be starting after this with full PP!
Nah, I think I’ll just live here.
The peak, in itself, is a dungeon. Lovely. Nice music, mind, but still…
It’s a good thing I found so many apples earlier, because otherwise, this would be… bothersome.
…Honestly, I am neither surprised nor heartbroken. Arthur honestly did more to decimate my Reviver Seed stock than to contribute in battle. His final moments were spent using Focus Energy and Leer.
Honestly, best to restart, at this point, from the last save point.
The king lives again!
Man, I am burning through my rock supply…
This is quite difficult, really. With only two damaging moves available, I need to be really conservative with them, and, well, I am playing as Poochyena and I have two rather under-leveled party members with me.
Tempting though the stairway is, we clearly are in desperate need of items and especially experience. I do think that, upon returning to town, I really should finish up the rest of the dojo maps. Reddybear needs a lot more training.
Arthur nearly fell yet again. Oy…
Yet, sometimes, he earns his place on the throne.
Only sometimes, though.
Oh! So, the game decided to have mercy on me for once, and made the third floor the destination.
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For that matter, where is Shiftry?
Or Alakazam? I mean, there’s not much ambiguity as to which way the summit is. Then again, for all we know, they have yet to even set out.
Yeah, we probably should have agreed on a specific time.
Or, y’know, traveled in one big group, because there’s no real reason not to. It’s not exactly a “split up and search” situation, here. We know exactly where our destination is.
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You act as if you did not expect that.
Cherithe, why are you cowering behind me? That’s like a tank cowering behind an infantryman.
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Cherithe, you are the one who has the least to fear from Zapdos’ damage output.
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I doubt that alone will be very intimidating to a legendary.
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I would normally open with a rock, but Cherithe is right in melee range. So, going in!
Well, um… ouch in sympathy. That Arthur did not go down immediately is quite fortunate.
Again, I think we may be a bit under-leveled.
Ow.
…Well said.
5,000 IQ, ladies and gentleman!
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…Quite.
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You impressed me, too! I think this is the first boss battle that actually dealt damage to us. Bravo!
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He intends to attack us again, apparently. Why, though, if ve’s calmed down? Especially since ve is clearly cognizant that ve is attacking children.
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Bravo for holding back, but still, that’s pretty faint praise.
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I failed to capture the beam that Shiftry teleported in by.
Legendary or no… Zapdos can do that?
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After all we went through, you’d better be.
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Speaking of faint praise…
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And yet you did not bring it up.
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Well, you are using present-tense, so you are incorrect. Even if you meant past-tense, or in terms of the soul, well…
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It’s like he’s psychic or something!
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“It happened one morning - a boy with extrasensory powers awoke in bed transformed into Kadabra.” – FireRed Pokédex entry on Kadabra.
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No “about this phenomenon” qualifier on that, Cherithe?
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Oh right, I guess that morning kinda gives her every right to imply I may not be the sharpest sort.
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Wait, did I miss something? When did that come up? Like, seriously, that’s a pretty big plot detail to wait until just now to bring up.
Actually, upon reflection, I suppose there is the line “I don’t remember anything”, but I think I can hardly be blamed for mentally appending “about how I got here”, given the context under which it was said.
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If we’re going by what Lombre said, shouldn’t he already know?
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Odd syntax, there.
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There, you must defend it against an enemy group of Pokémon with an Ancient of their own.
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“And somehow all night. We’re still trying to figure that one out.”
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Apparently, the future is bright.
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Well, that narrows it down.
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Did I just space out there, or something?
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I should certainly hope so, by this point.
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“At least until we’re off-camera and the player can’t hear us.”
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Oh, by the way, we got zero points for that rescue.
Y’know, the one where we took down Zapdos.
Day 12: Wherein Joat forgets to add 80’s training montage music.
The next morning…
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Right! But first, we need to train.
…A lot.
I imagine this decision would have more emotional weight if the player even knew.
This clarifies why the player was not told in advance, but this is still clunky, since the player still did not know the available questions.
Anyway, I suppose I shall go with the second.
…It’s a valid question.
…What?
Like, seriously, who else? I mean, Reddybear certainly never inquired about it.
Neither of these responses make any sense. I’ll just go with the second one. That’s more likely to get me an answer, I imagine.
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Oh, it’s a cover story sort of thing.
…Does this mean that the game is shipping the protagonist with the partner? Rather bold, considering the game knows the gender of only the protagonist. That the two are opposite genders is kinda luck of the draw, in this case.
Also, Joat and Reddybear OTP.
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Wait, so this is about friendship more than saving others? I mean, friendship is fine and all, but when we started this whole thing, we barely knew each-other.
Heck, given how little I’ve spoken, you still barely know me.
Would he be smiling if he knew he was going to be so busy today?
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Oooof course.
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Pretty much my reaction when I got to the Elite Four in Pokémon Gold.
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And yet I still get no points from it.
Starting with Bug, I suppose. And I think Fighting should go last, because… yeah, type disadvantage.
Except wait, Bug has the same thing on me. Bleh. Oh well.
Choice to train validated!
Also, I have, thus far, seen Pinsir, Weedle (which I use a move for every time because I most definitely do not want to have to deal with poison), and Beedrill. There’s actually more than one, for once!
I should probably consider using moves on Beedrill, as well.
Well, uh… Thanks, Reddybear?
Sort of.
Here, though, Weedle is not much of a target, since poison would not be likely to damage the target more than once in this fight.
The opposing team made the strategic error of focus-firing Cherithe.
Yes, I dare. I may regret this…
It looks like I should be poisoned just be being here.
Though, that may be partially due to me playing Pokémon Conquest before this.
We somehow managed to get through these floors without being poisoned once. Even considering Cherithe’s Pecha Scarf, quite impressive.
Well, that was a lovely brief thing while it lasted. At least the poison itself was even more brief, due to a gift from my beloved.
And next, the Grass Maze!
I think they could have made the Grass Maze more, well… grassy.
…!
I SURPASSED CHERITHE!
Why does there have to be enemies around? I cannot cuddle and fight at the same tiiiime!
She’s not exactly falling behind quite yet.
Well, now come the painful ones.
Going with Steel next, which two of us have some way to bypass the defenses of, at least. Not Reddybear, though, and I don’t exactly think licking the enemy is a good idea if this place ends up being very cold.
Pffft!
Now I know how Cherithe feels.
Next, let’s rock! dodges tomato-shaped rocks
Anyway, nothing of note in that one.
Well, here goes…
…Yeah, I think I should have Reddybear do this.
GOOD HEAVENS!
Can we get some steroid testing, here?
Well, here goes. Reddybear’s still only level 12, but here’s hoping it all turns out well.
So it seems.
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Just in case the player forgot.
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Hoboy…
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Yeah, sounds about like my best.
At least with this, there’s some way to work around it.
Lovely…
Honestly, I think I should be the one with the Pecha Scarf.
He needs this.
And so do the rest of us, honestly. Really, we’re getting destroyed, here…
How appropriate.
Very helpful, considering I am the one most getting destroyed, here.
I believe our third party member is made of glass.
But when he gets an attack in…
Interesting.
Yet another way in which rocks rock.
I think the universe just imploded.
Honestly, an idea presents itself.
Yes, I know, this reduces the amount of different types of things I can do, but as the leader, I need all the attacking moves I can get.
Eeeyup. Reddybear just got one-shotted by a non-critical, non-super-effective move.
…Yeah. I hate to say this, but we need to do some more grinding before we continue the story. Yeah, theoretically, these two might suffice, but do I really want to continue without my beloved by my side?
I’ll try to make it interesting, at least, but still, kind of a downer.
As a note, after writing the above, I went ahead and looked up recommended levels. One guide gave me the recommended level for Mt. Thunder of Lv.19, keeping in mind that is the entry level, whereas I was still under-leveled at the conclusion of the dungeon. The guide also has a similar recommendation for this dungeon, and while we are good on Joat and Cherithe… Reddybear suffers from being a late entrant. So, yeah, I will be taking the guide’s advice and grinding Reddybear up to level 19. Maybe then, he won’t go down if an enemy sneezes in his direction.
Day… 12?: Wherein Joat fails back in time.
Well, Reddybear is awfully happy for recently having his face pounded in.
I was wondering where ve was.
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A bit late for that tutorial.
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“Take me! In your arms!”
That said, not sure how smart it is to grind there , but…
Interesting. Getting a lot of TMs, lately.
As I thought, nobody in the group can even use this one.
It is nice to actually be a strong member of the team, really. Even if it does give me less to snark about.
…And then I made a mistake.
During this run, I got knocked out and, rather than just let it play out as normal, I decided to go ahead and reload from the last time it asked me whether I wished to save (since, were I playing the cartridge and that happened, I would likely have reset the game and started from my last save). Problem is, the last time I ACTUALLY saved was right after doing all the dojo stuff. I did not save at the end of that day. And there is no “undo” function when it comes to loading a save state. So… yeah. Welcome back to day 12!
Alright! A new beginning! Pokémon Mystery Delivery Service, go!
Well, that was not difficult to find.
…Huh. Well, okay, then. Not sure whether to call Farfetch’d a joke character still or not.
Well, interesting!
Funnily enough, though Farfetch’d is legendary for being a joke character, it is, more specifically, legendary for being a joke character by the standards of single-stage or final-evolution Pokémon. However, given the premise of this game, that will not be a factor for the time being. Heck, I’d probably use Farfetch’d after this if not for, well… Reddybear wins.
Don’t worry, I won’t name it “Dux.” Though I was briefly tempted, just as a sort of historical gag.
Given Farfetch’d’s legendary skill with a leek (say what you will about its power, but I’d like to see anyone else try to cut down a small tree with a green onion stalk), I feel it only fitting to name him after the greatest swordsman who ever lived.
Also, fun fact: I strongly considered using Farfetch’d for this run instead of Poochyena. I do find Farfetch’d rather charming. Like I said, I seem to favor the underdogs, in the Pokémon world. Perhaps another time, in another game.
And still one less HP than the Level 10 Spoony.
Go, Spoony! GO, GO, GO!
Woo!
I think he may lack the luck of his namesake, though.
Of course she did.
Leer? Really? That doesn’t sound so…
Screenshot from a video by Noah Antwiler
Oh.
Never mind.
Like Yoda, you are speaking.
Oh dear. At least this isn’t old-school D&D, else we’d have to roll up a new Farfetch’d.
Woo!
Thankfully, Spoony is not, in fact, too stupid to eat.
This is too perfect…
And no, I did not say for him to stay until after he had split up and would have gotten even farther away if I had not issued that command.
Separations in this game happen so oft, it seems, I am debating on whether I should even mention them, at this point.
Also, why is Farfetch’d blocked by water? He is both Flying-type and, y’know, a duck .
That was with Reddybear initially at full health.
…Yeah, multi-hit moves in this game are broken. For some reason, they deal roughly as much as a normal attack per hit . How did that get past QA testing, exactly? I mean, at least stuff like F.E.A.R. requires a very specific setup, so I can see why that would slip past, but multi-hit moves are not exactly rare.
Oh well. Victory is ours!
Got Max Elixir, 200 PoKé, and 30 rescue points.
I’m kinda sad to see Spoony leave the party. It’s nothing personal, Spoony, so do not think of this as BETRAYAL!
Day 13: Wherein Joat decides that putting a bear and honey in the same room will end well.
Well, that is certainly substantial.
…
Insert predictable highly immature joke here.
They make delivery service sound so epic.
Of course he is! He got to meet Spoony in person!
A decent haul.
For some reason, me taking down Zapdos verself is not considered newsworthy. The importance of eating food is, though!
Well, that’s convenient.
He wuvs meeeee!
Sweet, sweet irony…
Useful! Though, mainly for fragile escorts. Like Reddybear at times…
Oh wait, actual escorts who are part of an escort mission can’t follow basic instructions, never mind.
Cherithe is best bug-zapper.
I was considering linking some moves, but then I rememebered that Reddybear does not need the offensive help.
Yaaaay…
Okay, to be fair, Beedrill’s Fury Attack is quite remarkable, as demonstrated, but I kinda doubt we’ll be using Weedle for long enough for that to be relevant. Especially since, well, the premise.
I decided to take inspiration from the final evolution and name her Honey, sugah.
That said, neither honey nor weedles are known for their resiliency, so…
Oy! I didn’t mean for you to keep your distance from me!
I know rocks in water are a common sight in nature, but in this game, it is a truly tragic sight to see one land there.
Well, this Ampharos seems quite happy that their package is close to delivery. That, or ve’s jumping for vis previous Hurl Orb which ended up being hurled and embedded into the ceiling.
I do not want to let Beedrill get a word in, here, given what happened last time.
The mean bee’s trying to take my Honey!
And welcome to the jam.
That said, Cherithe has enough close-range moves and has enough trouble conserving PP, even with “Dedicated Traveler,” so I shall actually forgo that move, due to its low PP. Yeah, sure, Slam is likely more powerful, but Cherithe tends to take things out in a single Thundershock, anyway.
Um?
Oh. That was embarrassing.
Blissfully unaware of how I tried to bean ver in the head with a rock.
…Well, this is awkward.
There she is, just walking in circles.
Rectangles.
Whatever.
You’re welcome, Beedrill.
You sure did, Honey!
No, not you, Red, the other “Honey.”
Quite a nice haul, this! We received 600 PoKé, Max Elixir, 10 Gravelrocks, a Sky Gummi, a Power Band (ups Attack when held), and 50 rescue points.
And tomorrow, onward to more grinding training!
Day 14: Wherein the siren cannot resist the call of Joat.
Two separate locations. That is quite inconvenient.
I think this is the first one that actually resembles news in any way. Maybe the news is turning a new leaf!
Nope, never mind.
That said, news entry #6 shows just how much grinding the game expected me to have done that I did not actually do. That news was supposed to have arrived presumably shortly after the Skarmory fight. Or possibly earlier, if this was intended to be foreshadowing.
It is so nice to have my rock stock back up again.
After the Decrepit Lab purchase, there is but one left. An expensive one, but still, so very close, now.
Reddybear, what did you do this time?
Is it Valentine’s Day or something? The first one is hitting on me, the second one wants to see their love, the third one wants me to save their relationship, and the fourth one is apparently will settle for anything that moves.
Yes, it’s in an outdated location and there’s only one job there, but, well, this letter came specifically to me. If I don’t do this, nobody will!
…Yeah, I know, I am far too soft, even by bubblegum standards.
Wee…
But… But I already have a Malchoir!
sigh Oh well. Sorry, Zigzagoon!
Funny I should gain a Spearow so soon after gaining what Spearow was traded for once upon a time.
…Okay, I’m not that mean.
According to its RSE Pokédex entries, Spearow can, to warn others of danger, let out a shriek audible over a half-mile away. Kinda like a warning siren! As well, Sirens in Greek mythology are hybrids of humans and birds.
…
In any case, let us carry on!
That’s my Reddybear! He keeps on tickin’, then gives a lickin’!
Reddybear was following along just fine, then abruptly decided to go the other direction.
Was it something on my breath?
At long last.
She sounds like she’s trying way too hard to be hip.
sigh
Anyway, we got 200 PoKé and 5 rescue points. There was only one level up, and that was our guest star…
Oh well. Onward, to tomorrow!
Day 15: Wherein Reddybear reaches a new high.
Oy…
On the bright side, we have a mailbox mission in a more high-difficulty, and thus high-experience, location.
Too long without his beloved, I trust?
Getting closer to that last friend area.
Spinarak, you seriously need to keep better track of which strands are sticky, next time.
Here’s hoping I get a rather good Gold Gummi haul…
Personally, I’d be afraid of getting a splinter.
Okay, yeah, I know Sudowoodo is actually, well, pseudo-wood.
I wonder if anyone has ever made a fake potted Sudowoodo decoration as a joke, either in the Pokémon world or as real-world merchandise. If not, someone should, really.
Good heavens, that’s a lot of food.
Woo!
The best kind of problem to have.
A good strategic tool. I shall go ahead and have that replace Sand Attack.
And still no Gold Gummi, yet.
Useful, I suppose, though that’s a rather stilted name.
And at long last, the average party level is 19!
Yeah, I know I was hoping for the minimum party level to be 19 by the end of all this grinding, but I need to be mindful of the audience, when choosing how much to grind.
Sadly, that mission had to be left uncompleted. I was hoping the game would throw Gold Gummies at me like last time, but alas, no…
Now seems like a good time.
…I think I’ll keep it under the “strategic repositioning” bin and leave it at that…
Is TPS a term that exists? I think I’d like to make TPS a term that exists.
Reddybear shall have none of thy nonsense, good sir!
Oh dear… You okay there, Red? Are you finding out what blue tastes like?
Without the requested Gold Gummi.
Which means only one of the three missions has actually been completed.
Yaaaay…
Our rewards, as a result, are a mere Max Elixir and 10 rescue points. But at the very least, we went up in a decent number of levels. Mostly because I was spamming moves like crazy, trying to get anyone to join up with the team. I think the past few dungeon runs have spoiled me, on that.
No, not really.
But tomorrow… PLOT HAPPENS!
Day 16: Wherein Reddybear encounters his arch-nemesis.
At long last, I have returned! Sorry for the unannounced break.
It is time.
I’m running out of creative ways to say “You already told me that and I’ve been using that mechanic for a really long time, now.”
Don’t worry, Reddybear. I shan’t abandon thee.
Anyway, I have put the gummi quests on hold. It is time, indeed, to travel onward and face the dreaded canyon once more!
Though, uh… this time, I’m bringing an exit strategy. Cowardice Safety first!
Also, now I can afford this last Friend Area!
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“Oops?” Why “Oops?” I imagine my reaction would be more along the lines of “Time to go dive into all this PoKé like Scrooge McFarfetch’d.”
And so, here we are once again, this time more prepared. Somewhat.
This is why I am not too concerned when Cherithe walks off to attack something.
Anyway, doing remarkably well, this time! I have yet to hit any close calls.
Sure, he may be somewhat fragile, but when he gets the first hit…
It is nice to have some of that overpowered multi-hit move pool on my side, too. Not that enemies tend to survive more than one swipe, mind, but…
Also, it’s nice that Doduo, the enemy multi-hitter of the area, seems to be somewhat on the fragile side, from what I am seeing.
This move is a fair bit of a hazard, being a 100% damage reflect move unless the move being dealt to the defender is a KO, but at least there’s some ability to work around it.
For example, throwing rocks!
Speaking of broken moves, I’ll be putting this into storage instead of using it (I may change my mind if fake difficulty ramps up, hence me not outright selling it). So you know, since this game does not use gender, this move can hit anyone (unless they have the Oblivious ability, which very few do), and anyone hit by it is unable to act for a few turns.
This seems quite fitting.
Quite useful, aye! I wish Cherithe had that one. Especially since her status move does nothing else, whereas Reddybear’s at least also does damage.
I think the game heard me and is now taunting me about it.
But now, it is ours.
Woo!
I quite like owls. If I play Gold again, I should probably have a Hoothoot in the party, despite it not looking so cute, so I can have a Noctowl in the party later.
Heck, maybe I’ll do a full-bird party, since I already beat the game normally once (not including catching them all, because I am not that mad).
That’s a lot of Oran Berries. Which is good, because I really need one right about now.
Reddybear must be feeling quite left out, right about now.
I do hope Murkrow joins us at some point in this dungeon. I quite like Murkrow, as well.
…Yes, I may have a bit of a bird bias.
Something else I found, but sadly, this one is likely just going to be sold. It’s very rare for an enemy to be holding anything, too rare to justify this. And even if they are, would this even work if I’m holding something? I’d rather not trade away my poison immunity for the slim chance of denying an enemy their potentially-useless-anyway item.
…
Serves you right for spraying your seeds all over my beloved!
Apparently, it takes a Cherithe to substantially harm a Cherithe.
Oh, now you give me one…
Quite an interesting find! Even if likely to go unused.
Yeah, I think Cherithe has this one covered.
Oh wait, right, Poison Sting cuts corners and I’m the one with the Pecha Scarf. Tagging in!
I should seek the truth behind my own past more often, because it’s quite profitable.
Interesting, the things some people leave lying around.
Though, what’s more interesting is that, somehow, all three of us can learn it.
That said, given that it deals no immediate damage and most battles do not last very long, this is another one of those moves that’s more effective when used against the players than when used by the players.
…Yeah, I may wish to set my active move to something with more than 1PP.
Actually remembering to select “Set” after taking a screenshot would help.
Smooooke near the waaateerr…
Apparently not hidden very well.
You’d think the dog would be the one giving the licks, rather than taking them.
Fun fact: Aside from bear and kitty form, Red has also been known to take bull form. So, this would have been another candidate for the Red name. Then again, Tauros is not exactly fond of the color red, so perhaps not.
Oh, sure! My name’s Joat, her name is Cherithe, and his name is… uh… You can call him “Bear,” for short, eheheh…
I suppose if you’re gonna be so anti-red, I may as well give you a name to match.
Green is quite tanky, for that level, though I suppose I would expect that from a bull. I think I can safely set him to go on the offensive, considering that.
Maaan, Green even channels his RAAAGE against the enemies. A perfect rival for Reddybear!
OH GEEZ, VE’S MAKING ROAST BEEF!
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All four of us, oddly enough. I heard it was supposed to be lonely at the top.
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You don’t say…
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Why is this a surprise?
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Judging by the naming conventions of this land, yes.
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Um, Cherithe? If that’s the case, Xatu is probably deaf. Perhaps try tapping its shoulder? Well, to the degree it can be considered to have shoulders, anyway.
Is it truly wise to have such a tone toward someone who is in prime shoving-you-off-a-cliff position?
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Though it’s obvious that the latter is a bad idea, I’m pretty sure that the former is, too, when the Xatu in question is standing so close to the edge. Okay, to be fair, Xatu is a flying type, but still, causing someone to fall off the edge of a cliff is just plain rude.
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My thought would have been to wait until the sun goes down. I mean, he stares into the sun all day, so he should be finished when it sets.
Then again, the protagonist is presumably meant to be a child and we all know how patient they are, so…
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Do it a bit more, Cherithe! Xatu’s dots will soon break free from the tyranny of the text box!
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Apparently, Tickle only has 28PP.
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That or he has a really poor reaction time.
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Actually, no, I think he’s just laughing at us.
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Actually, I’d say his density is pretty low, given the height and weight figures given by Bulbapedia.
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Y’know, I really should watch the sunset more oft, myself. Though, I admit, I am not in the best position to do that. My view is fairly obstructed, where I live. But, even to the degree I can, I tend not to. Nor the sunrise. 'Tis a shame, really.
Eep! I’m sorry, I’ll stop bothering you, just please don’t glare at us like that anymore!
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You don’t say.
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Well… yes. It was not very difficult.
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Hear that, Snubbul? I am something special, gosh-darnit!
Well, that, or I am just a huge Pokénerd.
Yeah, probably that.
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Well… yes, I am not surprised that you can tell that we figured out your identity.
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That’s a rather odd thing for him to say about a Poochyena.
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I am guessing Green is wondering just what it is that he signed up for, right about now.
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Wow, it’s almost like he’s psychic or something!
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I’m no expert at clairvoyance, clearly, but I’m still pretty sure that’s not an answer.
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Oh.
I’m pretty sure if I tried that, I wouldn’t have sight for much of anything, myself.
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You can see the title screen and the end credits?
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A lovely sentiment, but is an introduction necessary, at this point?
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Xatu already knew, the audience already knew… Was that exposition dump for Green’s sake?
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Oh great, he’s chatting about the weather, now…
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Am I destined to bring balance back to the Force?
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Wait a second… I’ve got it!
The natural disasters are caused by Bunny Link using the medallions! He’s tapping into their power, not realizing the environmental ramifications of his actions! Joat got caught in one of the Quake spells, but instead of turning into an onion with a face, he got turned into a Poochyena!
…Or maybe the narrator who gave the quiz is responsible for the disasters, or something.
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I think we need to insert another quarter.
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And apparently the unspeakable, since he isn’t specifying what it is.
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Ugh… Reruns…
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…including the internet?
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So, let me get this straight, Gengar. From what I can gather, your plan at this point is as follows:
1: Create a rescue team.
2: Defeat Team Zephyrai, who are the only other ones who know about the world’s impending doom and may, in fact, be vital to stopping the world from being destroyed.
3: The world is destroyed.
4: ???
5: Take over the world.
I cannot see how this plan could possibly collapse in on itself.
Oh, sure! My name’s Joat, her name is Cherithe, and his name is… uh… You can call him “Bear,” for short, eheheh…
OH GEEZ, VE’S MAKING ROAST BEEF!
I think these may be incorrect screenshots? They seem a bit out of place at least.
I’m not sure how that happened, but it wasn’t just those two screenshots. Pretty much the entire end of the dungeon was mixed up, starting a bit before Green’s introduction. This has now been fixed.
Day 17: Wherein REALLY, NINETALES!?
The next morning…
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“Nah, I’m perfectly fine with the fact that we just learned the end of the world is coming and also we didn’t hear anything about how to stop it because the conversation just suddenly stopped there, apparently.”
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Yes, Cherithe, I was, in fact, listening too.
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That’s a very good question. For Xatu.
Heck, even if she only just now thought of it, what’s stopping us from going up there again?
Perhaps there’s a problem with the world’s inner ear?
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Sacrifice a Gogoat to appease the Balance Gods?
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We’ll do what we can. Because. We must.
Oh sure… as a “charm”…
Raided the candy supply again, huh?
It’s been a while. Let’s visit Spoony!
Reading certain D&D books again, hm?
Anyway, onward to town!
Zapdos, apparently.
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Has there ever been a legend in the history of all media that has not been true? I mean, other than legends that are unanimously seen as true, which are almost always shams.
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Apparently, they don’t believe Ninetales exists. ‘Kay, then.
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Ninetales is kind of petty like that.
Also, why issue a curse for grabbing one’s tail and not for, say, trying to inflict bodily harm upon the Ninetales? And what about owners, especially those interested in contests? Wouldn’t it be kind of awkward, trying to brush a Ninetales’ tail without grabbing it? And what if it was falling off a cliff and the only thing you could grab in time was its tail? Would it curse you then? Is it even voluntary, or is it just some automatic thing their tails do?
Okay, mostly I am joking around, but given that I actually have a Ninetales character that I sometimes use for RPing, the nature of this curse would definitely be useful information.
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Couldn’t you just find a Ninetales and ask them? I mean, granted, it could still just be a rumor they started to stop others from grabbing their tails, but still…
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I know that this becomes pertinent information rather quickly, but in the eyes of Bellsprout, what decision would I encounter where this rumor would affect it? I mean, the only one I can think of is the decision on whether to grab one of Ninetales’ tails without permission, and I’m pretty sure common courtesy can provide a satisfactory answer, there.
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…Is that a euphemism for something?
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Eh, sure, why not?
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Very well, but if ve’s not actively telling a story or interacting with you in any way, why are you just standing here? Why not go and play? Preferably not deep in a dangerous forest without parental supervision, this time.
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Something tells me that is not a unique occurrence.
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I imagine most of those years of curse may go to waste.
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Well, having opposable thumbs does help, when trying to grab something.
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Does that mean that the curse is a projectile of some sort that can be blocked or dodged?
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Fancy that…
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I can understand being afraid and fleeing, but seriously, cursed or no, recalling a Pokémon is a simple matter of pulling a ball from your pocket and pressing a button, right?
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That’s a rather specific edge-case effect of the curse.
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…Well, to be fair, would you be able to resist hugging one of those super-fluffy tails?
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Wait, so what you’re saying is, not only is Ninetales so petty that it will curse one for about ten times the victim’s lifespan (if we take an optimistic look at their expected lifespan) for such a minor thing, but they are willing to do so despite being fully aware that, under certain circumstances (which, let’s face it, aren’t exactly one-in-a-million), it will potentially destroy the world.
Look, I can understand wanting to protect one’s prized tails, but couldn’t you, like, use a different curse on the offender? Y’know, one that won’t potentially destroy the planet? Or maybe just wound or kill them? Or write a very stern letter to them, or just… anything else! Some common sense, please!
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Eh, no problem. The Pokémon scared and starving alone in a chasm can wait a bit longer.
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Couldn’t we just have Spoony pinch-hit for this situation, or something?
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Given my performance early on, I believe that’s called common sense.
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Still kinda made of tissue paper, but my level has caught up, so at least I’m made of reinforced tissue paper now, I guess.
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Aw… Lonely Cherithe…
I guess that explains why she was wandering out in that field all alone…
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Well, that was a short day! See you next time, everyone!
Day 18: Wherein Joat demonstrates that silence is pyrite.
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And again, and again, and again…
That’s not a silhouette. That’s blinking translucency.
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I’d ask why he expects this to work, since talking generally makes the other end of the conversation harder to hear rather than easier, but we’re working by dream logic here, so…
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Judging by the naming conventi… Okay, I think you know the drill by now.
: …I am…
…all I am all I am.
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“Met” implies a first-time encounter. Is this a translation error, or something?
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…Creepy stalker?
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The next morning…
You keep using that term, which makes me wonder how boring your normal dreams must be.
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Whiscash: Yes, a human. As one might expect, the human that grabbed the tail was subject to a curse of a thousand years. However, just as the curse was cast, a Pokémon named Gardevoir shielded the human… And sacrificed herself to absorb the curse.
Cherithe: Why? Why would that Pokémon, Gardevoir, take the human’s place?
Whiscash: To Gardevoir, that human was her partner. There exist strong bonds between humans and Pokémon.
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If I were in that situation, if I figured the dreams were in any way prophetic (and they are way too coherent to not be), I would not be using the term “maybe.” I mean, the evidence looks decently clear, here (provided we do count the use of the term “met” as a translation error), and there aren’t really any other plausible explanations floating about.
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Yesterday, Cherithe walked off to the left, implying her home is that way. Did she really take that big of a detour on the way here?
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Why are you leaving all of my stuff completely unguarded, Kangaskhan?
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Zombie apocolypse, perhaps?
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Why is that a surprise? Caterpie is clearly an outdoorsy type. As are most Pokémon, I imagine.
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Caterpie, if you’re that scared of Gengar, why not just hear the story second-hand. Or… second… whatever those stubby things you have are called.
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For absolutely no explained reason.
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Huh. So the Xatu used to be human. Who knew?
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…Kiiiinda hard to miss.
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True, but he hasn’t told a single lie thus far. And honestly, I think this is important stuff to know, even if expressed for the wrong reason, in this case.
Honestly, if we’d told everyone the tale like we probably should have done, we probably could have nipped this in the bud.
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It’s only the destruction of the world, after all!
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In Teen Titans, I remember an episode where Raven and Terra were arguing about whether or not to destroy a console. If memory serves, Terra wanted to destroy it, thinking that doing so would stop the process of a bad thing happening. Raven wanted not to destroy it, since they might be destroying their only way to stop the process.
Now, I was with Terra on that one, since a console you don’t know how to use is pretty much useless anyway, but the point is, if they get rid of that former human and it turns out they’re the only one who can stop it, the world’s kinda screwed.
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…
Ah yes, I guess I can understand why you would think I was the coward who did that.
For that matter, didn’t these incidents start before my arrival? I mean, I don’t think it was ever stated, but it was at the very least strongly implied.
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Ah, yes, time to clear my name!
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…Oh, right, silent protagonist, crap…
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I just missed getting a screenshot of it, but Lombre attacked with a fierce punch which, well, missed. And then the other Pokémon close in for the attack, taking their sweet time with actually attacking.
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I think it’s rather clear. I mean, what did you expect them to do, if their plan was to get rid of the human in question? Give him the keys to a shiny new spaceship and kindly tell him to go to Mars?
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“Us”?
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Ugh… Okay, no jokes about this one. Instead, a bit of a rant.
Remember what I said at the beginning, about the game not knowing what they want to do with the protagonist? There’s a reason why the protagonist in the main series games is silent. It’s so they don’t say something the player would not say, or in a way the player would not say it, and such is a good way to go about things, otherwise this happens.
This game, by the quiz at the beginning, clearly wants me to be able to put myself into the role of this character, but even if I were 100% convinced that I was guilty of dooming the entire planet, I would never say either of those things. Not even close. Nowadays, I would just come right out and state my suspicions. When I was 10, I’m not sure what I would have done, but unless I planned to heroically sacrifice my life to potentially save the world, I’m pretty sure I would not want to go it alone. Even way back then, I understood the concept of safety in numbers.
With the thing before, with the character not speaking, I could at least see myself locking up under such a situation or something like that, but with this…
*sigh* Well, I guess I’ll choose the first option.
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The script.
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Say what you will about how I wouldn’t say that, but honestly, I think that it’s a logical thing to do. It’s kind of hard to maintain a rescue team when you are a wanted fugitive.
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You mean other than the story yesterday and me being nearly beaten by a mob just now?
I mean, for crying out loud, say what you will about whether I should be the leader of a rescue team, but my Run Away ability was pretty darn vital back there…
Well, that, or I could have pointed out that we recently took down Zapdos. I mean, would you want to mess with that team?
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“And you were there, and you, and you…”
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Much as I appreciate the sentiment, were I in that position, I do not think that would be a very convincing argument.
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This is actually fairly dark. I mean, consider the target demographic. Sure, I was 25 at time of original writing, but the target demographic is about 10. And though they haven’t outright stated it, I kinda doubt they plan to simply make the former human faint.
In short, for most of the people playing this game at the time, the town has unanimously decided to murder a small child. Without conclusive proof, at that.
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It’s a good thing I’m pretty well-prepared for travel, considering that all of my supplies that aren’t already packed are, well, in town.
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Are you and the rest of the town set on this or not? I mean, I could understand if only this team are sparing them for now, delaying and only later going out to save face, but apparently all of the rescue teams agreed to this.
Either you are fully certain that Joat is the cause of all this, in which case you are endangering the entire world (at which point Joat would die along with the rest of the world, for that matter), or you aren’t and therefore shouldn’t be attacking Joat yet, instead perhaps imprisoning them and trying to figure out the truth while you have them in containment. Or, if you’re really desperate, kill Joat right now. Either way, you are either delayed in killing Joat, during which time the disasters are still going on, thus making this objectively worse than just killing him now, or you are letting him get away, but wasting a whole bunch of resources trying to find him again, making this objectively worse than doing nothing at all.
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So you’re reasonably certain that we’re innocent, and… Actually, I take it back. Even keeping up appearances isn’t an excuse. First off, unless you have an audience nearby, if you meet up with Team Zephyrai, you can simply “fail” to apprehend them, and secondly, if you’re reasonably certain I’m not guilty, why did you not speak up? And if you did, why didn’t they listen? Are they seriously taking the hearsay of a team called Team Meanies over the word of a well-respected gold-rank team whose leader is explicitly stated to be very knowledgeable? Wouldn’t that at least give the town pause for thought?
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In their own incredibly confusing and nonsensical way.
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If they’re only superficially going to give the player options, why not just have the character speak up without having the player select an option? I mean, these aren’t even really different flavors of affirmation. I could at least understand it if one of the options were something like “Alright… I’ll try my best.” At least then, you’re doing some role-playing, because one option sounds confident and the other sounds a bit more uncertain and scared. Which, let’s face it, would describe me through pretty much the entirety of this adventure.
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And also probably large sums of cash, because that’s generally how this sort of thing goes.
Part 19: Wherein Joat has a howling good time.
Yes, “part,” rather than “day.” Here is where the time-skips start coming in, and the game is not clear how much time passes with each skip. I considered making this “Day 19+X”, adding a new variable for each time-skip, but I imagine that joke would get old rather quickly.
The next dawn…
I’m not sure I’d be able to sleep very well, with a bunch of Pokémon within walking distance who wish me dead, but that’s just me.
Speaking of sleep, I wonder what would happen if I chose Delibird as the protagonist. I mean, that one has no sleep sprites, I think. Would it crash every time it tried to show my character asleep on that big pile of hay? Or would it, like, show me standing up, or something?
Well, I’d better be, really.
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Then why are you smiling?
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Bah! Who needs safety in numbers, anyway?
Actually, us, but apparently that’s not an option, so…
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But… But Reddybear…!
Okay, realistically, I can understand this. Whenever a non-critical character is lost normally, they are sent back to their friend area. Not only does that not mesh well with the plot (if they tried to help us, they’re not safe anywhere near town), but that means that once you lose your third member, you’re at a disadvantage for quite some time, since the group cannot return to retrieve that member and, not being an active rescue team, cannot recruit more members along the way. Not to mention, from a game design perspective, since you do not know whether the party still has their third member or not, which scenario do you balance the game for?
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Alakazam: Against all odds, you must run. Run, run… And survive. You must run till you discover the truth.
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Oy! I know you’re an amnesiac, but do you seriously not remember that the Earth is round?
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And also Jumpluff.
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How did you even know what’s going on?
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No, not everyone. Where are Dugtrio, Magnemite, Magnemite, and Magnemite (not including Tesla, who is probably still in the Power Plant)?
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Joat began reading the letter.
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Okay, interesting, yes, but when and how did Pelipper ever develop a bond toward Team Zephyrai? They never exchanged one line of dialogue! Heck, I don’t think Pelipper ever even looked directly at the team…
Well, at least it wasn’t “I prepared Explosive Runes this morning.”
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Perhaps not in one piece, but…
Thus began Joat’s cruel and arduous journey as a fugitive. Over forbidding mountains…
That is not a mountain. That is flat land with a fissure in it.
Across fields of fire…
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And yet we’re walking through it without any discomfort at all.
But throughout it all, Joat’s team kept their heads held high.
Well, as high above the ground as they get, anyway.
Without a complaint, they marched on.
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I’d imagine you’ve done a lot of that, considering how little of a conversationalist I’ve proven to be thus far.
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Don’t worry, Cherithe! There are plenty of other rescue teams who can do all of that rescue work!
…But instead, they’re hunting for us, completely ignoring the work for which they are named.
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How are they within hearing range, but not line of sight? Or within hearing range and not able to hear Team Zephyrai’s conversation, for that matter?
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Quick, into this cave which has no obvious method of escape!
I know brevity is the soul of wit, but really?
Zubats… Zubats everywhere…
Something tells me they may have scaled back the difficulty A TAD, for the party size.
And we have triple digits, ladies and gentlemen!
I got a roar TM, yaaay…
AAWOOOOO!
…Sorry, had to.
Also, sorry for taking the screenshot at the wrong time and missing, y’know, the actual moon graphic.
Again, the sort of move that’s more useful when used against the player than when used by them.
Ow. Okay, maybe this isn’t so much easier…
Unless I involve Cherithe, that is.
Nnnnope, even that’s no guarantee.
Ow. Again.
…At least it wasn’t a fighting-type move?
Hm…
So it seems.
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Behind us, presumably.
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Apparently, we decided to do exactly that.
That, or we somehow got winded by running a few feet.
Like, seriously, the exit we just came out of is barely off-screen. Did the developers really think people wouldn’t notice?
Next stop: Mordor, apparently.
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Cherithe, that’s called a volcano.
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Is there seriously no way to just go around the active volcano?
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It’s settled, then. Next time on Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, we shall simply walk into Mordor.
He got news from the underground.
Part 20: Wherein Joat proves that all love is fair in war.
Then how does anyone know it’s so dangerous? More dangerous than a normal volcano, I mean.
Or water types, ground types, fire types…
Wouldn’t the fact that you saw them go to Mt. Blaze be a pretty good indication that they went to Mt. Blaze?
Tromp, tromp, tromp, tromp, tromp!
Suddenly, Godzilla.
…
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That, or they finally figured out what stealth is.
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Well, it’s a good thing someone apparently put this inexplicable magical storage save point here.
Wait, if these are a thing, why wouldn’t all of their stored belongings have been confiscated?
Anyway, going ahead and pulling a lot of Rawst Berries out of storage, because, well, something tells me that burns are a thing that might happen.
As ready as one can be, when lava is involved and any sort of heat-resistant suit is not.
Oh wait, right, ambient heat doesn’t exist in video games, never mind.
…Um?
Okay, I actually looked this up, because this genuinely confused me, considering how recently she said that Mt. Blaze was the only option. According to Bulbapedia, Rock Path is pretty much just meant to help level the player up if they need it. I suppose I’ll do it anyway, especially since, well it makes sense in story as well. Not only is Mt. Blaze super-dangerous, but there are implied to be two types of pursuers: Those who turned tail and fled, assuming we would be going to Mt. Blaze, and those who are headed to Mt. Blaze. Either way, Rock Path sounds better.
Well, that’s highly useful!
Interesting. That said, combined with gravelrocks, this could be a decent way to finish off a single opponent with relatively little risk.
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I have the mental image that those who moved on with the chase are already halfway through, and will be long gone by the time we’re through, because they expected us to know where we’re going a lot better than we actually do.
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One storage management session later…
I suppose I should actually move on with the plot, now.
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Well, record time, that. Not even past the first floor.
I’ll try to conserve my Rawst Berries and just head to the stairs, since I’ve already located it and it is not that far.
…Seriously?
I seem to be getting a lot of duplicate TMs in this game.
Ah yes, I was wondering when I’d encounter lava. Other than seeping from the walls, I mean…
Speaking of duplicates items…
Well, I think I remember it selling for a rather respectable price, so I shall try to keep this if I can, until I can store or sell it.
Hm… While I’ll normally want to hold the Pecha Scarf, I do not think poison will be much of a concern in this dungeon, so switching to this.
I really wish I had a Rawst Scarf or two.
C… Could it be…?
*happy-dances* I found a gummi of my tyyyype!
Weeee…
NOM!
That sounds like a British insult, to me.
…
Ha!
Take care what you wish for, good sir.
Who put this here? I mean, not that I am complaining, but still…
I’m not surprised this Fearow fell asleep. The music here sounds quite… chill, ironically enough.
Fearow knows a multi-hit move. I should most definitely not hold back.
I think that would be pretty easy to verify simply by looking around to see if there are any parts of this volcano above you.
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Have you ever been to any volcanoes before now, though, that you can compare this to?
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Thankfully, the lava does not come back down in the form of lava rain.
Or at all, for that matter.
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Well, yes, naturally.
Okay, realistically, more like a kiln, but we’re not following logic too closely, here.
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After a lengthy monologue.
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How? There’s lava all around!
Or bubbling.
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Admittedly, given how few outsiders dare travel here, not sure that sounds like a very plausible story.
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I’d rather it not show itself and instead let us pass by peacefully, Cherithe, but that’s just me.
In charge of writing Moltres’s dialogue, Yoda was.
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To be fair, I can at least kinda see why Moltres would jump to conclusions. I mean, with Skarmory, the idea was grasping at straws, but here, this is an incredibly dangerous location, inhabited primarily by fire Pokémon and most definitely not by any Poochyenas or Pikachus, and this is not exactly a prime tourism spot. In fact, few rescue teams are willing to set paw in this place. Then, suddenly, everything turns sour at this location, at the same time when two complete strangers show up who are most definitely not from around there. Mind, I’d still prefer to try to get more proof, or at least hear their side of the story, before going straight to violent retribution, but…
*has officially stopped playing fair*
And that sort of thing is a major reason why. Ow.
Nothing can beat the power of love!
And food. Food is also an important part of this mid-combat balanced breakfast.
All’s fair in war, even love.
Love hurts…
Wow, this is just not ver day, is it?
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Drat! And I’m almost out of PP for Attract!
Er… uh… Think fast, Joat, think fast…
Uh… Your eyes are like pools of molten lava! Your lips are like… wait… crap…
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Why do all the shouting portraits in this game look like sneezing?
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“We have absolutely no proof, but, uh… take our word for it, I guess.”
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Were I in Moltres’ position, the phrase “We’re fugitives” would not inspire confidence that these two mean well.
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What does ve expect her to say in response?
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Cherithe… don’t blink… please…
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Quite the drama… king? Queen? What does one call royalty that does not have a gender?
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What knees?
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I’d make a joke about that being a rather tall order for ver to ask of a Poochyena, but that Poochyena actually managed to successfully beat ver up (even if not solo), so fair enough.
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It appears that Moltres wishes for us to go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb.
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If we don’t deliver, how will ve find us? I mean, ve clearly doesn’t keep track of the outside world in the slightest. How would ve know where to look?
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That was self-defense, actually, but close enough, I guess.
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Moltres would be quite awkward at a formal dinner party.
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“Eww”?
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Well, now that the view does not involve being in close proximity to super-heated molten rock.
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No, I do not. We really need a new cameramon.
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Indeed. Nothing like third-degree burns to etch something deep into one’s memory.
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Heck, Tyranitar could level the mountain, if ve felt like ve needed a new nest.
Okay, the lava would make it less practical, there would be a lot of collateral damage, and they’d tick off Moltres, but the point is, Alakazam’s team is probably still after us.
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There is another jedi?
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Even if it weren’t for them, the surest way to make sure someone else gets through is to assume and state aloud that surely nobody else could have gotten through.
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That’s… rather amibitious. Even for Team Zephyrai. Who are somehow super awesome and able to defeat legendaries (or at least weaken them) despite being Bronze Rank.
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Lovely sentiment, but you’re not a Delibird. You need to sleep sometime, y’know.
Wait, why are there no Delibirds working for the postal service in this setting?
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Did you just make a muzzle joke?
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And so, the duo departs, moving further away from the launch site. Some say the lava columns are still in flight.
Part 21: Wherein Joat passes.
And so, Joat’s harrwing journey continued. Seeking refuge in even harsher places…
They fled north.
Ooh! Are we off to find Santa Claus?
Yes, Santa is canon. Well, at least, according to the amine.
They crossed row upon row of mountains…
There sure are a lot of mountains in this region, aren’t there?
Forded fetid swamps… Scaled frozen cliffs…
Till finally, Joat’s tiny team arrived in a world of snow… A frigid wasteland of driving blizzards.
You don’t say.
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I know that feeling.
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Then suddenly, the snow ninjas attack.
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Bah! This is nothing, you pansy! I’ve lived with lake effect snow before.
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You having said that aloud significantly reduces the odds of that.
Well, that and the fact that someone apparently put down salt to thaw this path out.
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That, dear Cherithe, is Absol, who is primarily a messenger of coming disasters. I can understand ver being a bit late. I mean, I’m guessing ver schedule is… full, as of late.
At the very least, though, I imagine ver job is a lot easier than usual in this case, since ve’s delivering word to Pokémon. I mean, the whole thing of them being considered, by humans, to be a bringer of doom rather than a predictor is due to the language barrier. In this case, though, that’s not an issue.
*ahem* AS I WAS SAYING, THE FACT THAT ABSOL CAN CLEARLY COMMUNICATE VIS MESSAGE MEANS THAT oh forget it…
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You mean like the ones directly to the left and the right of us?
I agree that falling snow is beautiful, but has she really never seen it before?
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Especially considering that out here is horribly cold, too.
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And hope beyond hope that nothing inflicts the frozen status on us.
Going to Snow path first, for a bit of experience and to see what it looks like.
Kinda nice, actually! Even if the path itself is more ice than snow.
Nom!
Seriously, look at that image and tell me that’s not what it looks like is happening.
Ow.
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I wonder…
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The coloration makes it look, to me, more like a wasteland than anything frosty.
Ooh, another one! Useless at the moment, but useful to hang onto.
That’s a rather unfortunate thing about this area. Furret is ubiquitous here and tends to flee when at low HP, meaning I often need to use up rocks to finish the job, lest I get snuck up on later by same Furret. And, as seen earlier, it even knows a multi-hit attack!
The water does sort of help make the area look more frozen and less wasteland, at least. Sort of.
Well, that’s interesting. Who is it using as a base, though? Doesn’t it usually strive to copy its opponent?
…
Someone has intruded upon the forest… The enfeebled flow of icy winds… Is the intrusion to blame? It must be stopped. For it is to protect the forest…
We’ve faced Zapdos and Moltres and we’re in a frozen area. Who could it beeee…?
Like, seriously, I imagine that even someone completely new to the series would be suspecting an ice-themed bird, right about now. Heck, during this very LP (and, so you know, this is farther than I got on my prior playthrough before being distracted by something shiny), I suspected Articuno would be showing up from the moment we were shown walking in a winter wonderland.
Uh… This is the first move used.
That was the ditto? Like, seriously, does Transform not give PP to any moves? I mean, unless it happens to have a PP-restoring item, the only moveset advantage one gets from Transform is being able to get Transform out of the way, in order to have the privilege of using Struggle.
The game sure loves this TM, doesn’t it?
Interesting! A fight against a Mightyena.
I imagine this fight would be a lot more difficult if it actually, y’know, attacked at some point.
As if this fight needed to be any easier.
Uh…
Aaaaand another one.
And we know what this means…
I do kinda wish the actual snow effect were present for the entire time, but I do understand, hardware limitations and all. That said, with the subtle tinting, this finally actually looks like snow!
Huh. I know this is a RhyHORN, not a RhyDON, but this still highlights the absurdity of Pikachu’s striking the horn with a lightning attack and winning.
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Er, you look to be more on a plateau than in the forest at this point, but alright.
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I did not. Nor did anyone else, for that matter.
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…Nah, not gonna make that joke. Too easy.
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Articuno used Flash!
Fancy that.
Interestingly, Articuno is one of my many favorite Pokémon. Sylvanus’ (one of my tulpae), too.
You mean aside from all the other Pokémon who have entered the forest, who we fought through to get here?
Because of course I open the fight with that.
It seems I have melted vis heart…
I think I came on too strongly. Ow.
Fortunately, I have a Reviver Seed, but still, ow.
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It seems that being beaten up makes Articuno much more reasonable to talk to. Who knew?
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Such as all of the snow on this plateau, apparently.
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Well, yes, that goes without re-saying.
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I do wonder exactly how ve suspects we would have done it. Or how ve can be so certain that violence will solve the problem if we did.
Yes, I know, I said Moltres’ deductions sorta made sense, but here, we arrived only after this stuff was happening.
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Again, for the target demographic, someone is about to, with virtually no proof, murder a child. I mean, yes, I know, you take your job seriously, but come on, Articuno, that’s just cold. *ba-dum-TISH!*
…learned Teleport, apparently.
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While this is quite convenient, why does Absol get special treatment? I mean, Absol clearly travels, so is very likely an outsider, and Absol has no more proof than we do, so…
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Speaking of flimsy deductions, how does Articuno come to the conclusion that some random duo, one of whom is a Poochyena, would be able to do anything about this, even if they were tough enough to get this far? I mean, I doubt ve’s addressing Absol, so…
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Rather hard to miss, really.
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Is it that surprising?
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Arcus is a Pathfinder character created by Sylvanus, one of my tulpae. Arcus is a tengu summoner who is a follower of Damerrich, and for those who know what that means, it should speak a fair bit about the character. In any case, like this Absol, Arcus is rather grim, serious, and determined, but is, in the end, a kind-hearted sort, even if not very social.
The tulpa who made Cherithe (the Pathfinder character) is named Fluffy, by the way.
Anyway, next time, we shall continue onward to find Santa! Onwaaaard!
I love how, as an added “take that” to the anime, Rhydon’s main Ability is Lightning Rod. It’s like the devs themselves were making a joke about how dumb that bit was.
Now it all makes sense! In order to make a fancy entrance, Articuno pulled out the Sword of Mana!
…Does that mean that Zapdos put the sword IN the stone when first appearing? Is that why it went all dark?
Part 22: Wherein nobody pays attention to Arcus.
And so… After getting through the Frosty Forest, Joat’s team… Headed further north… The more they advanced… The harsher the conditions became…
Is the narrator winded?
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If not for Alakazam’s Team, I would say it would be alright to stop here and rest a bit. I mean, not only is the journey rather treacherous for most, but even with an expert tracker, with all of the disasters muddling up the scents and/or tracks, it’d take a powerful psychic to figure out exactly where Team Zephyrai is…
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Honestly, credit where it is due. The game is actually doing a really good job of making me actually feel empathy for the protagonist in this scene (which is good, since he is intended to represent the player). The music gives a feeling of isolation, fear, discomfort, and uncertainty. It also feels cold, for lack of a better way to put it.
The snow has gotten thicker, there is no end in sight, we are exhausted, and the feel of this place is oppressive and isolated.
If we fell here, would anyone find us? Would anyone even know?
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We shouldn’t be here. We don’t belong here.
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I know if I were in this situation, I would love nothing more than to be able to go home again, by the comfort of a fire, within the safety of the town, even though I would know it would be impossible.
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I would certainly be glad to have my friends so close. Not just for warmth, but also just as a reminder that I’m not entirely alone, even if my companions are just as lost and helpless as I, in the end.
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It would be both encouraging and terrifying that they have both placed their faith in me as leader. I would try my best, but in the end, the same mix of bravery and desperation that brought me there would be all I would have to hold on to. No way at all of knowing which way leads to victory an which way leads to death, yet I must be the one to choose…
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Honestly, I imagine I may feel some of that helplessness and isolation upon moving out, once I finally manage to get a job. It is hard to tell in advance, but I do imagine it would be similarly isolating and uncertain, even if also somewhat liberating. I imagine my beloved and what friends move in with us will look up to me for a fair bit, which will be a fairly scary prospect. I will no longer have anyone there to protect me and to guide me. Sylvanus tries, yes, but he can only do so much.
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Yet, simply knowing that he’s there will be a source of great comfort, as it will with the others. They will all be there with me, every step of the way.
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Oh good heavens, flashing red light and alarm sound and I look like I am in pain and WHAT IS GOING ON!?
My sentiments exa…
YIPE! There it is again…
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…Am I having a stroke, or something?
Credit where it’s due again. This is genuinely quite unnerving.
…Did I just die?
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Oh thank heavens, I’m just hallucinating.
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You said that already, mind, but…
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Cherithe, why do you suspect that? I mean, the words spoken were “Ga…Gardevoir! …You’re… What…”
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Wow, that’s convenient!
…Well, relatively speaking.
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Ninetales is not a psychic-type Pokémon. How does ve know? And more importantly, if ve knows, why has ve not lifted a paw to try to help in any way?
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…of unfinished sentences with vital information missing for the sake of narrative convenience?
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I’m not sure “stunned” is the term I would use. It looked more like “in excruciating pain” to me.
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…Wait, wha?
Cherithe, Ninetales isn’t even a legendary. How was the existence of Ninetales ever in question?
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I believe this counts as tempting fate.
Again, I do really wish the game would give me more opportunities to make meaningful choices on how to play my character. I mean, I’m not asking for branching storylines. Even something as simple as the choice near the beginning of this document would be quite lovely.
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This choice is a bit better, at least. Nothing storyline-altering – heck, I don’t think it even would alter Cherithe’s response – but again, I simply want something that offers enough choice to make it feel like I had the opportunity to role-play.
In this case, I feel the first question is a valid one. Yeah, sure, she can speculate, but can she really be so sure?
…Well, okay, maybe she can, but it’s still a better question than asking if she really believes in me so much, when that’s practically been every other sentence out of her mouth as of late.
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Like how I somehow failed to notice I was in a completely different body shape?
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Eh, sure, why not? Even if it’s the same one as last time, this is a tradition by now.
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This training may be wise, indeed. Arcus is a bit behind, in level. I am Lv.24 and Cherithe is Lv.25.
I understand why a low-level Magikarp would do that, but what is your excuse, Azurill?
Growl is kinda nice, true, and it gives her something to do in a corridor when she cannot reach the front, but overall, she tends to get low on PP in lengthy dungeons, so giving her more attack moves may be helpful. Stat lowering is nice, perhaps, but not huge when each enemy tends not to last very long.
I am noticing a bit of a damage gap.
Swiiiiirl…
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Oh? Well, that is interesting. I wonder what that does.
…Not only does that seem more useful when used on the party than when used by the party, but given how squishy I am, it may actually be worse than useless. Not to mention, it uses up a turn that Arcus could be using to attack, instead.
Speaking of Arcus, as far as HP goes, he’s a fair bit of a tank.
Hm… Swagger is a touch on the risky side, but given that there is only about a one-in-eight chance of being hit by an attack, it may be worth it in certain situations. Certainly less situational than Odor Sleuth, which I have yet to use, even in that fight where a Gengar was among the enemies. I just ended up one-shotting said Gengar with a bite instead.
THANK YOU!
Like, seriously, that is incredibly useful for if when a party member goes off on their own.
…Or at least, that’s what I thought when first writing this. Much later on in the LP, I learned this was actually more of a “Let’s split up, gang!”
Ha!
YES!
Yeah, that’s the spirit, Arcus! Bite that earthquake in the face!
We don’t have any Poison types, but pink is adorable and gum is pink and therefore I want this gummi.
Ooh, quite nice!
Well, that was certainly significant.
Uh… Good for you? We have no sleep moves, but congrats anyway, I guess.
Ow. I’m so glad I got relatively lucky there.
Ow. Again. I should really avoid being at the fore against a multi-hit foe when not at full health.
This seems to be quite the dungeon for multi-hit decimation, huh?
…Could it be?
I found Gravelrock 2.0!
I would hug it, but that would not be smart.
…And yes, I now realize it’s not Gravelrock 2.0. But I thought it was at time of first playing.
We’re low on supplies and I can safely guess what fight lies between us and Ninetales, so for once, not exploring the entire floor. I shall be skipping future floors, when possible, as well.
Ah yes, these things. A boon, perhaps, but also a portent of doom.
Just when I thought they may have omitted that status effect from this game…
Being frozen solid is apparently an enriching experience.
Later!
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Really? It looks a lot more like a cave, to me.
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I had a feeling…
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You mean the “act” that the three of you helped to enable?
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…Couldn’t we just point out that Ninetales is supposed to be around here and that if we go perhaps a few more feet or so and ask, they’d be a lot more certain whether or not they should go through with this?
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…That seems like a very bad trait for a member of a rescue team to have.
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And then, in a cutscene fight (which I did not see coming), the two teams begin clashing, seeming rather evenly-matched. An awesome moment, perhaps, but I imagine it may be somewhat of a blow to their ego, that they’re having so much trouble with a Copper Rank rescue team headed by a Poochyena.
Arceus has spoken!
Oh. Or a falling Ninetales.
Which, sadly, places the protagonist in a pose that Poochyena doesn’t have, which means I have to be Charmander for the rest of this cutscene to avoid crashing.
…Which, even more sadly, is a sizeable chunk.
This actually wouldn’t have been much of an issue on this site, but back in the original uploads everything was in screenshots, so about half of this LP part was as Charmander rather than Poochyena, which annoyed me so much that I grabbed PhotoShop and started editing Poochyena back in. One. Screenshot. At. A time.
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…
…Really?
It’s one thing for Cherithe to not realize. I mean, she’s still new and relatively inexperienced. But are these three hardened veterans really that surprised that Ninetales exists? The legend of the 1000-year curse is one thing, but not knowing that Ninetales exists? I know that fire stones are rare and thus probably so are Ninetales, but I’m pretty sure they’re not that rare! Not to mention, Ninetales has such a massive lifespan that it makes it all the more improbable that they’re so rare that their very existence is in question.
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…But isn’t part of the point of the curse to be a deterrent from others doing the same? Wouldn’t you want that to be considered true?
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Eep…
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…Ninetales is a massive troll.
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You told us to run and find the truth earlier, and now you’re completely flabbergasted at the prospect that I am not the one responsible. Can you make up your mind, please?
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…Cherithe, are you alright?
…’Kay, then…
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It doesn’t translate very well to static screenshots, which is all I had to work with in the initial LP, but Cherithe proceeds to circle around Joat in celebration and I want my own little Cherithe because this is absolutely adorable.
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Well, if I am the one who is linked to the end of the world and I am not that human, I suppose that makes sense.
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And also to attempt to murder.
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I know you’re trying to save face, Charizard, but, given what you said at the beginning of the fight, you’re trying to do so by essentially claiming that you take delight in attempting to murder someone you are reasonably certain is innocent. I don’t know about you, but I would rather look like a dupe than like a murderous psychopath.
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And also Cherithe and Arcus, but I guess they don’t count as much since I’m the protagonist here. Heck, Arcus spends most of his time in this scene hidden by the speech boxes. I mean, I know he was a last-minute entrant, but still…
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…I do not know the answer to that any more than I did five minutes ago, Cherithe.
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Sudden plot-convenient earthquake of explanation interruption!
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That is generally what causes earthquakes, yes.
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Not a morning person, hm?
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Alakazam, you and your team had trouble facing us a moment ago. If we’re too weak to take it on, that does not bode well for your odds.
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That said, it’s hard to argue with that, and it actually does feel like a satisfying conclusion, even if the trip home would logically not be very pleasant, either. I suppose it is a good sign of how the game lead me to emphasize with the protagonist, that I feel genuinely relieved at being able to go home, rather than being disappointed at missing an epic battle.
That said, though, shouldn’t we at least first wait close enough that we can finish this conversation with Ninetales after the fight is over? Or, for that matter, continue it now, if Ninetales is planning to stay behind too? I mean, this is kind of important, and is also relevant to fulfilling the promise we’ve made to two legendary elemental birds who I do not particularly wish to tick off…
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…Implying there is an easy way to get it?
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And thus… Alakazam’s team made their way underground to quell the awakened Groudon. Meanwhile, cleared of all suspicion, Joat’s team… Put an end to their long and arduous journey… And returned to their welcoming rescue team base.
Meanwhile, back in Pokémon Square…
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You realize that three of those you are speaking to are simply random townsfolk, right?
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He seems to be taking it well.
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As stated by someone who is literally spineless.
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Gengar has absolutely no sense of body language.
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Wait, does that mean I’m finally rid of Team Meanies, then?
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Cherithe, you should probably get to the part where we’re innocent before we walk into this big group of potential Zephyrai hunters.
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…Did she seriously only just now notice him?
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I’d call that more “homicidal rage,” myself, but that’s just me.
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I cannot think of a way to say that in a way that sounds surprised rather than drugged, and the facial expression does not help matters.
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I see that she is opting not to point out the fact that Ninetales said that the human who grabbed the Ninetales’ tail is not linked to the end of the world, while Xatu stated that my being a human is linked to the end of the world.
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…Oh, right. Yeah, that could be important. We really should have… wait a sec…
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If only we had a witness with us… Hey Arcus, do you know where we could find a witness?
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Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
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Should Gengar really be surprised at that one? Or even disappointed, for that matter? I still have no idea why Gengar is under the impression that Caterpie is some sort of powerhouse.
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Then why did you let yourself join in to begin with?
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Pelipper dropping stuff, as ve does best.
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Were you not listening at all, Ekans?
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“Free snacks? For moi?”
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They look more like rather boring flyers to me, really.
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“Did you know you can open your menu by pressing the B button?”
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Well, technically, the only falsehood in his story was the conclusion, with Joat being the human in the tale. Even then, although they told the story for all the wrong reasons, can anyone really be certain that it was a deliberate falsehood? Heck, even Team Zephyrai cannot be certain of that. For all they know, Gengar genuinely thought that Joat really was that human and decided to exploit that fact. Either way, all Gengar would need to do to recover from this is to claim that he was genuinely mistaken, perhaps even coupling that with a “heartfelt” apology toward Joat.
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…Or he could do that. Not a very rock-solid defense, I must admit, but perhaps he’s hoping that spouting something so laughably silly will help defuse the tension.
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Or slither, in the case of Ekans.
Shouldn’t you have started chasing as soon as Gengar shouted “Run!”?
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Does Caterpie even have nostrils to sniffle with?
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Again, no acknowledgement of Arcus. Was he a last-minute addition to the game? Was this part of the script made before Arcus was a part of the game?
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I must say, “hardy” is right. Not even after that heavy ordeal does the team get a day off. Well, except for that one day when Cherithe was not feeling it. And that one day when apparently learning about Alakazam’s expertise at barking orders made the duo forget that their job is a thing that exists.
For now, though, time for Joat to be reunited with his hay once more!