Poochyena Power! - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team

Joat · August 2, 2018, 10:53pm

Joat: But I can’t quite remember what that dream was about…

Probably because it was extremely non-memorable.

Joat: Oh well. Today’s another day of rescues!

Joat: I wonder if I have any mail? Better check the Mailbox.

And then check it in again a few minutes later, because apparently they deliver mail more than daily.

Joat checked the Mailbox. But there was no mail seeking help from the rescue team

I’m not sure. The sun shining through my windows 24/7 kinda threw off my internal clock.

Cherithe: …So, was there anything? Were there any rescue requests?

Cherithe: Huh? Empty?!

You are that surprised? I mean, our having a job yesterday was a stroke of tremendous luck.

Cherithe: Hmm… I suppose so. We’ve only started, after all.

I guess I can sorta understand her being so excited. I imagine she had a hard time getting to sleep, visions of all the exciting adventures she would later have running through her head… Adorable, really.

Cherithe: Well, too bad. Want to go to Pokémon Square?

Someone, during their time as mayor, simply did not care.

Cherithe: I think if we go to the Pelipper Post Office, there’ll be jobs posted.

Then why are you so distraught at us not having jobs in the mailbox?

Cherithe: Pokémon Square’s over this way. Let’s go.

You certainly seem excited about it.

They seem to be in short supply. They must cost quite a lot.

Cherithe: You can buy and sell items there.

Oh.

Cherithe: You can save your money there.

Fancy that.

Cherithe: Huh? What’s linking? Well, if you link moves… You can use them at the same time. I think you should ask Gulpin if you want to know more.

Interesting mechanic, really. Too bad I have only two moves to choose from.

I am reminded of the Suspiciously Specific Denial trope.

Cherithe: You should store important items here before you go out on any dungeon adventure.

Well, items not important to the mission, anyway.

Cherithe: What do you think? The businesses here help us.

I’ll say! From those descriptions, I think only one of these actually charges money at all.

…Well, okay, later we find out that Gulpin also charges money.

Cherithe: Oh and there’s also the Pelipper Post Office. That’s up here.

I hope they’re more careful with our incoming mail than the title screen Pelipper was.

…I guess that would help explain why we got no mail today, actually.

Cherithe: I think we can get some information on rescue jobs Let’s first go to the Pelipper Post Office.

Onwaaard!

You don’t say.

Cherithe: See? Have a look at this Bulletin Board. It lists rescue jobs. Check it out?

How do these get here, exactly? Especially that fourth one, where the sender apparently does not know where they are. Apparently, the answer is “right next to a mailbox.”

Plusle’s HP fell to 0!

Plusle pulled out a pen and paper, wrote a letter requesting help, sent it to the mailbox, then fainted!

Anyway, I am going to take three jobs, all conveniently in Thunderwave Cave (which is apparently all the rave).

Cherithe: See? To do a rescue job, you first select it with Accept… Then, on the Job List, choose the job, then confirm it with Take Job to go on that rescue mission. If you don’t select Take Job, you can’t do that rescue job even if you go to the dungeon.

Y’know, this tutorial on the interface would have been more logical BEFORE I went to the job interface.

Cherithe: Since we’re just starting up, we should handle the jobs that are posted here.

Well, either that or just go home, I guess.

Cherithe: Our team name will get better known by doing that.

It’s a good thing I made our team name not something to be ashamed of, then.

Cherithe: I think that will bring job offers to our Mailbox. And if you want to go on a rescue mission… Choose the job on the Job List… Then, select Take Job. Try to always do that before you leave!

Alright. So, we have a group of rescue jobs. Their very LIVES are at stake!

But first, let’s browse around town a bit.

Snubbull: The Pelipper Post Office would be… Straight down this path. It’s out at the cape. You can’t miss it.

You mean the place I just came from?

Lombre: I don’t know why, but there’ve been many natural disasters lately. A lot of Pokémon have gone wild and violent because the disasters scared them… It’s a mean world out there.

Y’know, for those who weren’t paying attention to the plot previously.

Lombre: There was a forest fire not long ago. It was terrible. Luckily, Blastoise and Feraligatr were able to douse it quickly… But it could have been much worse if they were slower getting there.

It was a glorious triumph against great adversity for Smokey the Ursarang.

Kecleon: We, the Kecleon Brothers, have a passion for selling items. Items are useful for your dungeon adventures. Use your imagination and discover innovative uses, please.

…Use my imagination and discover innovative uses? Like, instead of throwing a seed, maybe grab a straw and spit it at the enemies like a spitwad?

Kecleon: Ah yes. If my shop sells out… New merchandise will arrive the following day. Until then, please go to a dungeon and spend some time Please visit on your return~♪

I do hope we have our badges out and he’s acting off the knowledge that we are a rescue team. Otherwise, this seems an awful lot like the PMD equivalent of “go jump in a ditch.”

Kecleon: Ah yes. The Kecleon Shop is a nationwide chain.

Wait, what? Is this a species trait? All Kecleons own item shops? Or is this a nationwide family business, somehow?

Kecleon: There are shops even in dungeons. Please do visit~♪

Oh, now I understand the dungeon comment, you sneakies.

Anyway, now to actually buy stuff!

Kecleon: Oh my! You have no space for any more items!

Alright, I’ll go clear some room, just please don’t eat me!

Kecleon: Thank you! Please call again~♪

I don’t know… I’m afraid of using up all of my Pokéminutes.

I get the feeling that perhaps the face artist and the sprite artist were not in very close communication on this one. “RAWR SCARY RAWR oh hi, there!”

Kangaskhan: I can store items that you found in dungeons, or that you bought from shops.

Well, that was a mood shift. “Oh hi, there, I’m very glad to… Oh. You want to know what I do? SERIOUS BUSINESS MODE ENGAGED!”

Speaking of business, how do you profit from this?

Kangaskhan: If you faint in a dungeon, your items will be lost… But what’s in storage will be safe.

This building has no doors. I do not have much faith in it.

Kangaskhan: I keep guard over the storage space, so anything you leave with me won’t ever disappear!

Except for, y’know, when you’re asleep. Which would be at night. When thieves are mostly likely to strike.

Kangaskhan: If you have any items that you can’t bear to lose, be sure to leave them with me!

Well, my inventory is full, so any port in a storm, I suppose…

Kangaskhan: OK, stored away! You can count on me, honey.

THERE’S the smile again! I like happy Kangaskhan.

I have only two moves and Cherithe probably wouldn’t use her moves very well (and also she is quite OP compared to me and doesn’t need the extra help), so I shall pass for now. Nonetheless, I’ll go ahead and ask for more information here, too!

…We may be here a while.

Gulpin: When you’re in a dungeon and you’re about to use a move… Isn’t it a pain to open the window each time?

Second only to when the batteries on my TV remote run out and I actually have to get up.

Gulpin: You can avoid that! You can just conveniently “Set” a move for instant use! A set move can instantly be used with and ! See? Isn’t that easy? Just set the move… Hold and then press to use it! It’s very convenient!

Yes, I did hear you the first time.

Alright, so next, the main attraction!

Gulpin: When moves are linked… Two or more moves can be used one after another in one turn! For example, if the moves Scratch and Growl are linked… Both Scratch and Growl are use in one turn! See? Amazing, huh?

So, what you’re saying is, with the aid of a move tutor, a Mew could literally transform and rollout.

Gulpin: Using links, heheh… Well, depending on the moves you link, you can get incredible results! Oh, yes. When moves are linked, they are used in sequence from the top one first. You can also separate linked moves by selecting the DeLink command. The sequence of moves can be changed by pressing , then pressing up or down on . Try to innovate with links. Try creating links of your very own!

The last time I tried creating a Link of my own, Uncle Nintendo grounded me for a whole week.

Anyway, onward to remembering moves.

Gulpin: What if you had to forget a move, but wanted it back? Ever face that situation?

Oh yes, I so want to know all my disco moves again!

Gulpin: I can help! Come to me, and I can make you instantly remember forgotten moves! I… Well, when Pokémon remember… I love seeing that instant!

On a serious note, I get why they originally had the move limit, and I can understand why the limit is still enforced (both for purposes of tradition and game balance, among other things, I imagine), but it’s the kind of thing that I really wish they would acknowledge as little as possible in the story itself. It does endanger the illusion by making the Pokémon seem less like living intelligent beings and more like piles of code. That, or just really stupid.

Image from Pokémon Red.

…Not that the humans in this world are the sharpest tools either, mind.

Gulpin: That look of enlightenment! That amazed look of pleasure! I run this business because I live to see that moment!

And also the money probably helps, too.

Gulpin: Whenever you get the urge to link moves, please come see me!

Maybe someday, I shall have another move.

Well, that looks like a face I can trust!

Persian: Ah, you wish to know how the bank operates. Very well.

That face, the way ve said that… Why do I get the feeling that my asking for more information was all a part of vis master plan?

Persian: If you are defeated in a dungeon, you’ll lose all your money. Did you know that?

Yeah, being defeated and without backup in some remote dungeon surrounded by hostile Pokémon is just so gosh-darn inconvenient like that!

Persian: But you can avoid that! You’ve nothing to fear if you leave your money with Felicity Bank. Even if you return defeatedfrom a dungeon, your money will be safe with me!

“I’ll still snicker at you, though.”

Persian: I assure you, my bank will keep your money safe. Simple, isn’t it?

Well, I still have shopping to do, so…

Persian: I await your next visit.

It’s like ve is trying to hypnotize me with vis gaze…

Anyway, onward to shopping!

“The Kecleon Shop – We Sell Rocks”

And I buy them. Because they are awesome.

Kecleon: Wonder Orbs are very, very convenient~♪

I wonder why! *sitcom canned laughter plays*

Kecleon: However, they disappear after one use… But they are useful in a pinch~♪ And moves… They are the ultimate power!

You realize that “moves” includes Splash, right?

Kecleon: Smash rocks! Fly! There are many different kinds of moves, all of them dynamic, yet elegant!

Okay, maybe moves like Metronome are dynamic and a number of moves are elegant, but I am pretty sure that Splash is neither.

Kecleon: There are even moves of obscure rarity… Simply gorgeous, they are! Now, we have those moves! They can be learned using our Technical Machines, or TMs for short! You see? Isn’t it exciting? Even dreamy?

Unless the move is called Brad, I somehow doubt it.

Kecleon: Why, it gets me so excited, my color has turned to a rosy tint! I do hope you will shop with us–me and my brother next to me!

Anyway, let us see what ye’ve got!

I can buy torment. That is so metal.

Kecleon: Thank you so much! Please do visit again~♪

For some reason, whenever he speaks, the voice that narrates the text in my head is that of Tobli from FFX-2.

On another note, I almost forgot, there’s that news I never read through! May as well do that, before I go.

…Or not.

You established I have the news. Why can I not read it?

Well, may as well check the mail. It’s been at least five whole minutes, so the mail may have come again.

So, every rescue team badge has a built-in teleporter? Wha?

Also, I later learned that this is in fact the Pokémon news. It can be stored for later, at which point it shows up in the PKMN News section.

Anyway, ONWARD!

Awww…

I’ll just let ver sleep.

This message brought to you by the Pokémon Board of Tourism.

Er, yes, that is kinda one third of the reason I came here to begin with.

The Rescue Team Badge shone on Plusle! Plusle gained a magical power!

Uh…

Plusle: Thank you! Please come see me at the Pelipper Post Office later!

Plusle escaped from the dungeon!

“But now I must go. My planet needs me.”

We cannot stop now! ONWAAARD!

Uh, yes, I am surely sure.

Cherithe is so beefy now, nobody here poses a threat to her, anymore. And here I am, already having used an oran berry, hurt and poisoned…

Y’know, I was hoping that would work.

No berry to cure it… Now it truly begins… Now I must triumph over my greatest challenge yet, conquering the entire dungeon and rescuing the distressed Pokémon, all while…

…Oh. Or not.

It turns out changing floors removes status effects.

Ve certainly LOOKS excited, doesn’t ve?

Wooo!

Ooof course you did…

As a reminder, I still only have two moves.

Hm… I think I’ll have her forget Tail Whip. While I can understand a ranged debuff, a melee debuff seems not as useful in a game where so many things fall down in so few attacks.

How can there be weather here?

Fun fact: Other than Nidoran, there’s no gender in this game. This alters the functionality of certain moves.

Hm… Nah! Let’s go for more XPs and obese loot!

And in case you are wondering, that is significantly more EXP than Cherithe has.

In any case, the rewards, in total, were 200 PoKé, 15 rescue points (used to rank up, which in turn improves recruitment success rate), 10 Gravelrocks, and a Reviver Seed. A decent outing.

Aww, Cherithe doesn’t want me to feel bad, so she’s using the word “we.”

Cherithe: OK, see you tomorrow!

Well, may as well turn in for the night.

Joat: … … …Again? Am I dreaming again…?

Are you seriously surprised at having dreams when you sleep?

For that matter, you are cognizant of this being a dream. Why you are not using this opportunity is beyond me.

Joat: …It’s that Pokémon again.

WHO’S THAT POKéMON?

Joat: Huh? They’re… talking to me? …I can’t hear them clearly. What are they saying?

Eh, probably just a telemarketer.

Joat: Huh? It’s shaking. An earthquake…?

Oh. Must be a Snorlax.

Joat: Whoa! It’s getting worse.

It’s getting closer! Quick, run away, before it eats you!

Joat: For a dream, this feels strangely real, but… … …

…your train of thought, however, is not.