I do appreciate the advice, and I do recall finding this out and trying to do it at a later time, but unfortunately it seems that VBA doesn’t allow doing that mid-game, meaning it does not seem the issue can be resolved without starting from scratch.
Day 3: Wherein Joat sends a Pokémon back to its home planet.
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Probably because it was extremely non-memorable.
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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.
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You are that surprised? I mean, our having a job yesterday was a stroke of tremendous luck.
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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.
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Someone, during their time as mayor, simply did not care.
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Then why are you so distraught at us not having jobs in the mailbox?
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You certainly seem excited about it.
They seem to be in short supply. They must cost quite a lot.
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Oh.
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Fancy that.
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Interesting mechanic, really. Too bad I have only two moves to choose from.
I am reminded of the Suspiciously Specific Denial trope.
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Well, items not important to the mission, anyway.
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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.
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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.
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Onwaaard!
You don’t say.
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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).
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Y’know, this tutorial on the interface would have been more logical BEFORE I went to the job interface.
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Well, either that or just go home, I guess.
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It’s a good thing I made our team name not something to be ashamed of, then.
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Alright. So, we have a group of rescue jobs. Their very LIVES are at stake!
But first, let’s browse around town a bit.
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You mean the place I just came from?
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Y’know, for those who weren’t paying attention to the plot previously.
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It was a glorious triumph against great adversity for Smokey the Ursarang.
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…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?
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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.”
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Wait, what? Is this a species trait? All Kecleons own item shops? Or is this a nationwide family business, somehow?
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Oh, now I understand the dungeon comment, you sneakies.
Anyway, now to actually buy stuff!
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Alright, I’ll go clear some room, just please don’t eat me!
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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!”
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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?
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This building has no doors. I do not have much faith in it.
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Except for, y’know, when you’re asleep. Which would be at night. When thieves are mostly likely to strike.
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Well, my inventory is full, so any port in a storm, I suppose…
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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.
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Second only to when the batteries on my TV remote run out and I actually have to get up.
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and 
! See? Isn’t that easy? Just set the move… Hold Yes, I did hear you the first time.
Alright, so next, the main attraction!
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So, what you’re saying is, with the aid of a move tutor, a Mew could literally transform and rollout.
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, 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.
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Oh yes, I so want to know all my disco moves again!
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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.
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And also the money probably helps, too.
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Maybe someday, I shall have another move.
Well, that looks like a face I can trust!
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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?
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Yeah, being defeated and without backup in some remote dungeon surrounded by hostile Pokémon is just so gosh-darn inconvenient like that!
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“I’ll still snicker at you, though.”
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Well, I still have shopping to do, so…
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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.
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I wonder why! *sitcom canned laughter plays*
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You realize that “moves” includes Splash, right?
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Okay, maybe moves like Metronome are dynamic and a number of moves are elegant, but I am pretty sure that Splash is neither.
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Unless the move is called Brad, I somehow doubt it.
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Anyway, let us see what ye’ve got!
I can buy torment. That is so metal.
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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…
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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.”
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Well, may as well turn in for the night.
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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.
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WHO’S THAT POKéMON?
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Eh, probably just a telemarketer.
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Oh. Must be a Snorlax.
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It’s getting closer! Quick, run away, before it eats you!
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…your train of thought, however, is not.
Day 4: Wherein Joat discovers what makes him so special.
The next morning…
Well, looks like someone found the intercom.
???: Hello? Uhh… You are Joat…
I was aware of that, yes.
???: Aren’t you? …Oh! You can’t see us, of course! How very rude of us!
I’d make comment about Dugtrio ruining the floor, but I’d have to throw in some qualifications on whether this counts as a floor, exactly.
Why do Pokémon without nicknames bother with introductions?
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Geez, don’t look at me like that, I didn’t cause it.
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Because Poochyenas are natural-born mountain-climbers! Apparently.
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“So just beat up the first Skarmory you see and hope it’s the culprit.”
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“Ruffian” is simultaneously quite sophisticated and goofy. Like “fop.”
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Help us, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
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Well, okay, to be fair, at least this one, er, three, have a valid reason for not coming along.
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“It’s too bad”? Implying you would have said no? You are such a jerk, uh… me.
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Puppy-Pikachu Cherithe is adorable.
???: Yes!
Were you eavesdropping this whole time?
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My sentiments exactly, Cherithe.
Though, first, I must go store items and buy some things.
Oh.
Oh dear.
Turns out money really is the root of all evil.
Anyway…
I think the game wants us to go to Mt. Steel, guys.
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Y’know, just in case the player forgot already.
???: That’s right!
Oh, geez…
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Oh. Huh. Actually useful information. Alright, then.
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Yeah, tall climb, I know.
And so, two Wonder Tiles directly diagonal to each-other, also known as the Starbucks approach.
Woo!
I… I learned a new attack!
I LEARNED A NEW ATTACK!
I DON’T EVEN CARE THAT IT’S JUST A DINKY SAND-ATTACK!
I’m finally kinda-sorta catching up! Except, still not really.
Cherithe sure can’t beat my sense of smell, though!
She can sure beat my everything else, though. Surely, though, there must be SOMETHING remarkable about me, right? Let’s check my summary screen!
…*sigh* At least I’m an ADORABLE ineffectual coward…
I made jokes about it before, but seriously, I’m only two levels behind, so I kinda AM catching up.
I forgot to take a screenshot of it at the time, but as you can see in the log…
I learned the tactic Get Away! So, y’know, I can share my running-away-with-your-tail-between-your-legs secrets with my teammates.
As for what tactics are, the idea is that each AI ally (once again, except escorts) has a certain tactic activated which defines how they behave on a broad level.
The default behavior is Let’s Go Together, which has the partner following close to the leader where possible. There are two others available at the start, one of which is similar but causes them to prioritize attacking foes over following the leader, potentially breaking off from the rest of the group to do so. The third default one is like Let’s Go Together, but the AI tries to avoid moving adjacent to an enemy and instead lets the enemy come to them. This latest one has them fleeing from any visible enemies. So, basically splitting the party, which is rarely a good idea.
Anyway, now for the final showdown…
You mean in this area where we were told we’d find ver?
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Let’s hope one of us is REALLY good at jumping, then.
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Unless you came over here super-fast (like, The Flash fast), I do not believe you were out of hearing range when we loudly declared our intentions.
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So you bring one of them closer to you, logically making the problem worse.
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Threatening an electric type and a dark type. Bold, I shall give ver that.
Yes, I know said dark type does not have a dark type move to bypass steel-type defenses, but Skarmory does not.
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Boss battle summary: I throw a rock, Cherithe uses Quick Attack, Skarmory uses Leer, I throw a rock, Cherithe uses Thunder Shock, we win.
Speaking of rocks, the Gravelrock item deals a fixed amount of damage, 20 with every hit, and is unaffected by weaknesses or resistances. For that matter, the normal attack is also “typeless” in this regard.
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By “keep up,” of course, ve means “deal a single point of damage.” Really, all ve did was glare at Cherithe for a bit.
Y’know, in case you couldn’t see what happened a few feet in front of you.
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…
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And also, not stating Diglett is a bad Pokémon, but I imagine it is a pretty bad Pokémon at JUMPING.
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You just now noticed this?
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What kind of adventurer doesn’t bring rope?
Then again, how would they use rope, as Pokémon?
…Then again, how do I keep throwing rocks at everything?
…How long have you been following us?
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Ah yes, I’d recognize those faces(?) anywhere.
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How? I think the only one who isn’t currently here who knows about this predicament is Skarmory. Did ve really stop in front of two random Magnemites to give a summary of what happened?
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How convenient.
With what?
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You realize Ground types are immune to electricity, right?
Anyway, one fade later…
I noticed that, yes.
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“I’m walkin’ on sunshiiine…”
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Okay, with Cherithe, I can understand, presuming we started exiting before we could see Diglett plucked from the ground, but how does Magnemite not know this, exactly?
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???: Oh! You’ve been rescued! Great! Great!
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By the same token, I can understand Magnemite and Magnemite being confused, but how have Cherithe and Joat not figured out who is speaking yet? Heck, even if their pattern recognition is poor, they would still recognize the voice(s), right?
???: Whoops! You can’t see us? That’s terribly rude of us!
Does Dugtrio interact with society so little that they’re not used to this?
We noticed.
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Singular. Somehow.
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According to their portait, this angers them, apparently.
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“Too,” yes. “Instead,” no.
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I think you’re confusing “rude” and “not clairvoyant.”
Then again, the two Magnemite somehow “GOT WORD” of our situation out of thin air, so I don’t know what to think anymore.
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That’s a rather odd basis, but alright.
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“And you, the player.”
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From where? They left.
The team also received the item Pecha Scarf
Fashion!
Also, it’s a hold item that renders the holder immune to poison.
On the topic of hold items, a hold item is an item “equipped” to a Pokémon. As in the main series, depending on what it is, it may have an intrinsic effect on the holder as long as it is held. Other items (such as berries) will be used by the Pokémon when certain conditions are met, though the list of such items is rather short in the main series games, as most consumable items were presumably too complex for Pokémon to use on their own. In the main series, the hold items are used even if it isn’t the Pokémon’s turn. In this game, the item is used during an AI ally’s turn if appropriate, as AI allies cannot otherwise use items.
The team also received the item Ginseng.
…’Kay.
Actually, I didn’t know this at the time I initially received it, but Ginseng is awesome. It gives a permanent boost to the leader’s currently set move. These are really rare and, so best to use it only when you are certain that the move in question will never become obsolete.
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Or if we bothered to bring rope.
Or we could have tossed over one of our many Escape Orbs we found.
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I think Cherithe is finally catching on to my power level.
To be fair, though, I do not disagree with her on that point, even if we are kinda doing redundant electric types, here.
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Yeah, being pummeled by angry Pokémon is a blast.
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…Really? I was given this house for free without a second thought, but not ver? Was it the last one? Or is it a matter of nobody wanting a noisy Magnemite as a neighbor?
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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Real Estate!
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That bodes ill for the prices.
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And, y’know, perhaps also rescue folks.
Anyway, now to turn in for a nice, restful…
DAGNABBIT!
Day 5: Wherein Joat learns the true secret to friendship.
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Eeyup! Still the wavy green place with nothing in it.
Oh. Well, that’s new.
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No such luck. Guess we’ll have to actually play the game, then.
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…Isn’t drifting off how you got here in the first place?
The next morning…
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I think we’ve already established how much of a slow riser he is.
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Dude. Seriously. Your dream must contain at least one rubber chicken, a baker’s dozen tap-dancing radishes, and a war between walruses and people named Paul where it turns out all the walruses were double agents in order to qualify as strange.
Joat told Cherithe about the dreams.
Short explanation, I imagine.
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I knew it! It was the narrator from the beginning of the game all along!
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The same thing we do every night, Pinky.
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A gum phoenix, actually.
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But humans aren’t as adorabllle!
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Or painful. We always seem to get those mixed up.
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Onward, to the club!
…During the day.
I think Wigglytuff may be high.
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Was it the blatantly-obvious badges that tipped you off?
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No wonder Cherithe had a house to spare. Apparently, they sell real estate in bulk, here.
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A suspicious-looking Pokémon, giving the first two away for free… These friend areas are laced with something, aren’t they?
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There is nothing I can say about this to make it any sillier.
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Find some Pokémon and knock some friendship into ‘em, got it.
Were they just following us around this whole time, staying safely in eavesdropping range?
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For free, apparently, because giving away free stuff when people ask you to is a good way to make money, somehow.
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Oh. A promotional thing.
Then why didn’t you mention this until now? Do you even know how promotional giveaways work?
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Um, wasn’t the only sticking point a lack of housing?
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Well ,that’s a promising sign. “Try not to be too much of a load, ‘kay?”
Magnemite became a team member!
Still, I suppose I shouldn’t complain. Party member get!
Well, I guess. If nothing else, so I can tell ver apart.
My first temptation is to name ver BZZZZT, but I would like to think I have more maturity than that, however.
…Said the bird made of gum.
I am a huge nerd.
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Hopefully, it is sufficiently distant that I do not have to hear BZZBZZBZT all night every night.
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Alright, on to normal shopping activities!
…Or not.
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Are there no teams that have, like, a Pidgey in them who’d know Gust, or something?
I believe Cherithe just crit-failed her perception check.
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Hard to miss, yes.
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So I gathered.
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He must be pretty good, then, if he actually stays in business.
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I know for a fact that teams can have up to four members at a time and body size is not a factor here, so why are both of these groups only three members strong?
…Okay, with the benefit of hindsight, now I know the fourth member slot is purely reserved for escorts and new recruits. I didn’t recall that fact when first LPing this, though.
???: Oh! It’s Alakazam!
???: That’s Alakazam?!
…Yes. Yes, it is.
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Or, y’know, a fair number of other Pokémon.
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???: Wow…
???: That Shiftry agreed without any argument…
Possibly because there was a strong fire-type present.
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Is that seriously what they’re calling themselves?
That almost makes me rethink my opinion on “Team Pokémon.” Almost.
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Thereby flooding the surrounding area with lava and killing off a whole bunch of innocent Pokémon.
…Not as impressive-sounding. Which is particularly jarring, considering, well…
…Yeah.
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I’m no expert, but I am reasonably certain it is literally impossible, by any incarnation of the IQ test, to score that high.
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Including, dear reader, the color of underwear you’re wearing.
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Of his own team and everyone else, apparently.
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That Jumpluff could abuse that power so hard…
If they’re commenting on what Alakazam just did, I’m pretty sure anyone can bark orders at other people.
Why is Lombre cowering behind me? Especially when Lombre is nearly four times my size, even if the sprites don’t convey that very well.
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Why? Are they known for regularly attacking civilians? Somehow, I doubt that gets one Gold Rank very quickly.
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How?
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You mean having a premonition and then dismissing it as nothing because we are the most genre-blind people on the planet?
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Oh.
Why does ve care about us, specifically? Does ve have nothing better to do with ver time? Is it because I have a type advantage?
The next morning…
Huh. I guess we just went to bed after that. Okay, then.
Day 6: Wherein Joat gets a taste of power. Briefly.
No dream this time, apparently. Now to head out!
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Anyway, may as well check our mail.
Huh. Well, okay, then. A rather humble amount of mail.
However, that one mission is not enough. Let’s also check the board to see if there are more jobs in that area. And also pester random people along the way.
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Gee, thanks for rubbing it in…
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GEE, THANKS! Even if it is true…
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I think ve may be a bit obsessed…
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Huh. Well, interesting.
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Well, okay, then!
After my other stuff, that is.
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They barely DID anything!
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Well, okay, they did help Jumpluff, but that was more by using their reputation than doing anything. A well-deserved reputation, perhaps, but why not bring up their past acts, then?
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Well, at least my current form is adorable, so there’s that.
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Odd for this to be brought up only now instead of earlier, and in such an easy-to-miss way.
“Rub-a-Dub River”…
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Helpful, aye!
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And as for the Schnozberry Maze…
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Well, yes, I wasn’t exactly suspecting slave labor in a Pokémon game… outside of particularly uncharitable interpretations of what being a Pokémon trainer entails.
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A BRAND NEW CAR!
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Alright, let’s go ahead and try this!
Hm… Perhaps start easy and go with flying, first. Even if that does nullify my Sand Attack.
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For once, I’m tanking and one-shotting like Cherithe tends to!
If the rest of this maze is anything to go by, I doubt it.
I AM UNSTOPPABLE!
Ow.
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Well, actually, none of us leveled up in the slightest. Not even Tesla. Who is level 6.
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Perhaps later, but for now, time for rescuing!
Where, oh where could Aron be?
Well, that was predictably easy.
For that, we received a Cheri Berry (cures paralysis), 10 Gravelrocks, a Reviver Seed, and 10 rescue points
Okay, I guess.
It’s tomorrow!
Day 7: Wherein OH GOOD HEAVENS, MALCHOIR!
Well, that was anticlimactic.
I’ve done two sets of bulletin board jobs by now, yes.
Pokémon Mystery Delivery Service!
Anyway, time for another dojo run. Let’s go with Dark, this time. My brethren…
Oh look, a Poochyena convention!
Oh hey, Cherithe leveled up! And Tesla didn’t.
A team of four, this time! Let’s do this!
Oh geez… I am so glad that was “not very effective.”
Alright, so, that conquered, time to go!
Training hath won the day!
Woo! I got a zigzagoon, because violence = friendship!
Zigzagoon is also adorable. Not as adorable as me, though.
Anyway, now it’s time for another nicknaming. Hm…
Image from Sandra and Woo
…Naaaah.
Named after an RP character of mine! Now all that remains is to find a comically oversized sword for him to wield and sleep on the hilt of.
My mind is a strange place.
I BLINKED and now he’s level 7.
At long last, Tesla hath leveled up!
Y’know, I think Tesla has an even lower growth rate than I, which is simply sad.
Keep in mind, this is the third level up on this floor alone!
Ah, right, yes. “Found.”
I forgot to take a screenshot of him learning Headbutt.
I am beginning to think my leveling rate is being put even more to shame, here. Or, frighteningly enough, even Cherithe’s.
*sigh* Eeeyup. The new recruit whose membership hasn’t even technically been made official yet has now officially out-leveled me.
This is literally two Pokémon battles later.
And, like with Headbutt, forgot to show him learning Sand Attack, or forgetting Tail Whip
Aaaand two more.
Oh, by the way, remember what I said about Pokémon intelligence seeming small, given the game mechanics?
You need to feed Pokémon gummies to increase their IQ points before they learn this. It is not available by default.
Also, oh right, I should cover IQ Skills! This is another thing I didn’t bother to explain in my original creation of this LP, but now I have a chance to fix that mistake.
When first recruited (or at the start of the game, in the case of the protagonist and partner), each Pokémon has five IQ skills, which may be toggled on and off. These are:
- Item Catcher: When the character is not already holding an item, it’ll try to catch any item thrown at it, though this won’t work with drinks (mostly elixirs) or seeds. This is not to be confused with how you can throw consumable items at allies to have them auto-use it (unless they dodge it, which they sometimes do because I-have-no-idea-why).
- Course Checker: Check if anything is in the way of an attack or thrown item before using it.
- Dedicated Traveler: Use moves and items less often, and prioritize moving closer to the protagonist over attacking (naturally, tactics such as Go After Foes are an exception to the latter).
- Item Master: Uses their hold item, if it is usable. This is not necessary for passive hold items. Surprisingly, it does affect whether Reviver Seeds work on this Pokémon.
- Exclusive Move-User: Exactly what it implies. Does not use normal attacks.
That said, what the game doesn’t say right away is that some IQ skills are mutually exclusive. And while I disagree with them choosing this combination, two skills mutually exclusive with each-other are Exclusive Move-User and PP Checker. Honestly, since PP Checker is more of a quality-of-life thing than anything else (the game is less fun without it), I think that should be a default IQ skill and not mutually exclusive with anything.
Of course he did.
I think the narrator doesn’t think too highly of us.
It’s impossible to go any farther. It’s time to go back.
Mission complete!
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Hopefully I can get narrator-senpai to notice me tomorrow.
Day 8: Wherein oh good heavens, Malchoir…
The next morning…
???: Is this the place? Where that Team Zephyrai is based?
First the narrator, now you?
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Well, comparing to the buildings in town, I’d say about comparable, really.
Though, this makes me wonder where they operate from. I mean, this IS a Gengar leading the group, here. Maybe they have some impressive haunted mansion?
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Judging by naming the conventions of the area, these fine folks are known as Medicham, Gengar, and Ekans, respectively.
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That is not an answer.
They are so jealous.
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Well, maybe with a bit of salt.
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Rescue job offers are available elsewhere. Were you banned from the bulletin board?
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In any form of media, has that ever worked?
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Yes, I think they could intuit that one.
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“Dear Joat and Cherithe, I need you find my friend by tracking them by scent.”
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This team needs a Stoutland. Yes, I know it wouldn’t be very fitting personality-wise and I know said Pokémon did not exist yet at the time of this game’s creation, but this team really needs a mustache to twirl and none of these three quite fit the bill.
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Yes, please enhance my ability to stop your evil plans by spelling them out to me.
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Well, I guess I can see that. It might be a better plan if you were to, say, keep it a secret.
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…Um?
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I concur.
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Apparently, business isn’t very good if you have to resort to stealing job offers.
Speaking of which, I can see that plan falling apart. “Hi, thanks for rescuing me, but why do you have my job offer when I mailed it to Joat and Cherithe?”
I mean, seriously, how else would they have gotten that letter, aside from theft?
…Oh, right.
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…Is that the extent of your plan? Because, if so, I think you may not have thought this all the way through.
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Is that actually the name on your badge? Because that might explain the lack of job offers.
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Aw, maaan… Now we might actually have to leave our house in order to get job offers!
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I know I certainly have a hard time believing it.
You don’t say.
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They even took the newspaper, as a Medicham snack.
Oh hey, the Pelipper of Plot Convenience!
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…Does the bulletin board no longer exist or something?
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As a note, as a Gengar, the leader is at least level 25. We have a while to go before we reach that level. Or we could give Malchoir about five more minutes of training.
Er, wait, Malchoir is Normal-type and thus has trouble hitting Ghost-types, never mind…
For that matter, Gengar also requires trading to get to that stage. How does that work, in this setting?
Sorry, Cherithe, no rescue job offers here, just someone hitting on me.
Oh.
Well, to be fair, this one’s more plausible than Plusle’s plight, at least.
Anyway, one bout of shopping about for a few friend areas, storing and withdrawing items, and getting more jobs from this “bulletin board” thing that we apparently keep forgetting exists (on which I only found one other job in Mt. Steel)…
Well, I’m glad I wasn’t around to hear what a worried Magnemite sounds like.
I wonder what makes that specific bit of grass so special.
Onward we go!
…Or not.
Alright, well then, I suppose I shall drop Tesla. It kinda pains me to do so, a bit, actually, but, as pointed out before, we already have an electric type.
Also, I like cute things, and Malchoir wins on that front.
Naturally.
Even taking the Growl into consideration, that is one heck of a damage gap. Why am I leader, again?
Ah, right.
Ooh, hey, again! Maybe there is hope yet for my leveling rate!
Well, sort of.
I think I have found someone more fragile than me. I mean, this is the third time in critical HP this dungeon. And he used a Reviver Seed the first time.
Still puts my offensive abilities to shame, though.
Okay, to be fair, that may be partially due to me setting his AI to “Go After Foes,” but if I don’t do that for my party, it tends to result in only one ally getting near the enemy, with the rest not taking the leap of logic to, say, take a step forward to get to the enemy.
I have been finding a lot of white and orange gummies in these dungeons, but I do not think I have once seen any other type. Why is that?
The way Pincer is laying on its front an raising and lowering its body makes it look less like it is sleeping and more like it is panting and barely staying conscious after receiving a beating, soon to receive its second wind and defeat its foes using strength, determination, a lot of shouting, and regrettable fashion decisions.
…Or that.
Though, I am a touch disappointed at the lack of recruitment on Pincer. While it’s not one of my favorites, it still holds a place in my little gum heart, because it was my first bug-catching contest entry, my first victory in said contest, and, since then, a part of the roster for a fair chunk of Pokémon Gold. Along with Butterfree, Raticate, Pidgeot… I really have a thing for the underdog, don’t I?
…Did Malchoir seriously only gain one level during all of this?
Zephyrai went up in rank from the Normal Rank to the Bronze Rank!
Woo!
I must admit, that genuinely does feel fairly nice. Even if Bronze still isn’t exactly all that impressive-sounding.
Sadly, Cherithe gives no response to that. I wanted to see her reaction. I would imagine it would be quite adorable!
Day 9: Wherein Joat demonstrates the power of rock.
The next morning…
??? Joat! Cherithe!
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And where are your parents?
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How?
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Don’t worry; I doubt he went very far.
???: Oh, I see, I see! That does sound bad! Kekeke!
Oh geez…
How long were you guys watching us?
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You have to get jobs by stealing them, and you saw us as a threat even when we were Normal Rank. Even taking into consideration that a ghost-type has reason to fear a dark-type, I have doubts about your rank.
For that matter, it’s a basic search-and-rescue in a random forest. This is not exactly the most daunting task, especially for, say, someone with a heightened sense of smell.
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Normally I would take this as insulted, but given how Cherithe has been doing on perception so far…
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You state we are not up to the task of doing the deed, then you state it does not matter who does the deed.
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…And then you go on to speak of why it matters who does the deed.
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A few things:
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His parents have no legal obligation to give you a reward. Yes, you could try to force them into it, but they would either report you, or if you try to “silence” them, others may notice their disappearance. The only way to guarantee it is to make an agreement in advance. Preferably in writing, provided Medicham doesn’t eat it.
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For that matter, why the Caterpie’s parents? Why not the Metapod’s parents? I don’t have hard numbers, but I’m pretty sure that, in general, a parent would be willing to pay more for their own child’s return than for their child’s friend’s return.
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Punctuating an agreement with evil laughter is not good for public relations.
-
Interest does not work that way.
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Does this Caterpie really seem like the fighting sort?
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I know they are trying to sow discord, but if I were trying to take over the world, I would be more picky about who I put in a position of power within my ranks. I could see them recruiting the Caterpie as a grunt, because an evil empire needs a vast army, but anything beyond that…
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I concur, Caterpie.
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Indeed! But first, some preparations.
They addressed that, and said that would go to your parents.
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I’d bring up child labor laws, but I imagine the default age for the protagonist is about 10 or so, so never mind.
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Don’t worry, Caterpie. We’ll save you from their complete lack of understanding of how agreements work.
Anyway, first some shopping!
Good heavens, I have a lot of rocks!
Sounds like the best place to go play with a friend without any form of parental supervision, to me.
You know it’s sinister because of the… sinister mushrooms, I guess?
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Follow my nose!
Woo! Having a portable way to restore all PP is a helpful thing.
On another note, while I personally have not been too impressed with the soundtrack thus far (it’s not bad, mind, but not great), I must admit that the track that plays here is fairly nice and helps set the tone.
…DANGIT MALCHOIR, THAT’S MY THING!
Still, I must admit, it’s an okay move, so I guess dropping Sand-Attack for it. Basically, it allows the user to nullify enemy evasion boosts and hit Ghost-types with Normal- and Fighting-type moves.
That was over half of his hit points.
Huh. For once, I don’t feel super-fragile.
As the group ventures deeper into the forest, the field of view is lessened. Nice touch.
I may perhaps be regretting my decision to let Malchoir use this move at will. The AI has no concept of when is appropriate for it.
At long last, another variety!
Still not favoring dark, though…
Of course he did.
Woo! I finally have a full moveset!
Also, it’s about time I actually got a dark-type move. This one’s also just plain more powerful than Tackle, though it has a lower PP count to match.
I think this is the first time that’s been relevant.
Sure, why not? Not exactly one of my favorites, but oh well. I shan’t be picky!
Because Ledyba’s white ball things and color scheme kinda remind me of Pulseman. Rather appropriate, given that game, too, was made by Game Freak.
Given his low level and the high risk of losing him if he gets knocked out, best to keep him on the defensive.
Wow, two-hit paralysis combo, on Cherithe and I…
And quite unfortunate, when it triggers on the leader, in a hallway.
It begins.
I feel validated a bit, on the name choice.
You’ll enjoy Malchoir, then.
One Sky Gummi later, because Candy = Brains.
No room, so I may as well eat it.
Well, this could be a bother. But at least the light level is up again, for whatever reason. But now we have the introduction of water.
Sinister water.
Or they could go down quite quickly and easily.
Two things to note with that log. One, Malchoir leveled up because of course he did, and two, it’s quite nice how much more damage I am doing now that I have a better move.
…
Double Team is tempting, but it’s defensive and Cherithe is already tanky enough without it.
Note the floor number. And Metapod is not on this floor, so this means they were playing even deeper in.
Caterpie’s parents are the worst parents ever.
Now would be a good time to run, Scyther.
Ow.
When I first learned of Hoothoot, I was simultaneously pleased there was an owl Pokémon and disappointed that it looks so silly and non-cute to me.
Cherithe seriously ended up way over there.
She also keeps trying to use electric-type moves which do not affect it.
I have no words.
I finally got her to finish the fight by turning off every move she has PP for.
Honestly, it’s so much better if it is not in a hallway. The rest of us can help, in this case.
Good heavens, it’s so loooong…
Oh no, whatever shall I dooo…
I mean, using the normal attack is most of what I’ve been doing, so not much worry here. And plus, I have items to use as well.
Oh. That makes it even less scary.
Paralysis blocks any attacking, but apparently that does not include throwing rocks. Loophole abuse!
I did not really need to do that, but I did it anyway, just to show how little I care about Encore.
They really love to target me, specifically, with that, it seems.
To state it mildly.
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???: Hold it right there!
You got a head start and Gengar is presumably a higher level than us. Why are you not a long way ahead by now?
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You are surprised, Cherithe?
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I was tempted to do a captain obvious joke here, then I remembered that such is actually a legitimate question. Seriously, why us, specifically?
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Well, yes, you did, and I still have yet to discern what made you think it was a good idea to tell us that.
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How do you know?
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Like, seriously, am I missing something? Did these guys read some ancient prophecy where that Caterpie is The One?
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…Does that mean no cake?
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…I’m feeling a bit left out, here.
Though, to be fair, Cherithe is the more talkative one who’s actually, y’know speaking to them. That, and she’s probably the bigger threat.
It makes no sense for that to work, but I do not care.
Behold my biting power and despair!
That said, I should probably take out that Medicham before I or Malchoir receive a super-effective Medicham fighting move to the face.
…That works, too, actually.
I might be a bit more intimidated by that threat if our group had taken a single point of damage during that fight.
???: Um, excuse me…
Metapod just bounced up to us.
My mind is a bit blown, but hey, that makes the premise of this quest make more sense, at least.
It also makes the world a whole lot less sad for Metapod. I mean, keep in mind that, for who-knows-how-long, possibly forever for all anyone knows, nobody can evolve.
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That is a safe guess.
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“Hooray for making my friend worried!”
Also, that has got to be the most bored-looking, or possibly angry-looking, “Yay!” I have ever seen.
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And not Malchoir and Pulse, apparently.
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The sweat drop that came before that indicates nervousness at being unable to fulfill an expectation, even though you made it quite clear in advance that you have no money.
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Why is this a surprise? You knew in advance that we knew in advance that you had no method of payment.
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Wait, if you didn’t think we were that generous, why did you come here?
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Just… Don’t be surprised if it leads to a lot of bruises. Trust me on this one.
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Like put in some window panes?
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…Does this mean we have to get rid of the hay beds?
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I get the feeling the biped among us may be doing most of the work, if it’s a DIY project.
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And so, the two depart.
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I think you’re forgetting all the free stuff we find on the ground. I haven’t run the numbers, but I imagine that probably adds up to more than the rewards themselves, on average.
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For example, that opening a fight by throwing rocks is a highly effective tactic, even against ghosts. Somehow.
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More tiring from the walking than the battle at the end, admittedly.
Rock damage works against Ghosts just fine, IIRC. It’s just Normal and Fighting damage that doesn’t.
Indeed, that is true. So Gravelrocks working here make as much sense as Rock-type damage working here. Which is to say, still none. But hey, game balance.
Now I’m imagining a variant of Ghostbusters where they pelt the ghosts with rocks until they surrender.
IIRC, in this game Ghost Pokemon can’t walk through walls or anything, either. What if Ghost Pokemon can only phase through flesh? That still causes problems for a few attacks, like Bite and Crunch, but rocks and leaves still hurting them now suddenly makes sense.
Day 10: Wherein Joat earns the ire of produce.
The next morning…
???: Umm… Hello?
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We should really install a sign. Or maybe plant some flowers in the shape of the word “Zephyrai.” That would be lovely.
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And yet, you feel we would be a good rescue team to call for backup. Either rescue teams around here are more sparse than I thought and thus we’re the only backup on paw at the time (which would admittedly explain Team Meanies’ fixation on us) or I am quite bewildered as to how Shiftry’s team gets hired for anything ever if we’re considered the next step up and they require an exorbitant fee.
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I know there have been a lot of disasters lately, I did not suspect “unusually calm weather” would be among them.
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Funnily enough, Cherithe is right, given Poochyena’s default expression on its sprite in this game looks rather determined. And/or angry. Adorably angry.
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Help us, Puppy-Wan.
Anyway, onward to town!
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I do believe that was quite evident, yes.
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“We hear all things.”
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I somehow doubt that would be good for team credibility.
Anyway, some errands around town later, let us gather our team!
Like a true superhero would.
Also, it’s a tree with glowy spots. Which is quite beautiful and cool. And also possibly like they host some alien parasitic goo or something.
Or maybe it’s not a tree? Huh. That said, the fact that you can climb a bit of the way up is a nice touch!
I think he’s going through giant magic sword withdrawal.
And that makes a full team of four! Too much for the quest itself, perhaps, but just enough for something I have been neglecting…
Oh, wow, that is a significantly expanded list.
I suppose we may as well go ahead and go with the water maze first, though we must be careful, because
Screenshot from Pulseman
…Really? I mean, the other missions, I understand, but is it even possible to recruit members from the dojo? Unless I am mistaken and it actually is, why do I need to have that slot open?
And so, removing Malchoir from active duty. Sure, Malchoir is cute, and “Water can destroy Pulseman,” but apparently everything can destroy Malchoir, so…
Ow.
I think Makuhita is trying desperately to keep a straight face, at this point.
I think she’ll be fine.
Tactically speaking, confusion on the enemy is advantageous, but it still does not mean that it is a tad annoying when the enemy will simply not hold still.
Oooof course.
Not the best place to move, Cherithe.
Also, again, of course.
Also, there are other water Pokémon you intend to use aside from Polywag, right game?
…Apparently not.
And without a single level up, actually.
Anyway, onward to the mission!
Then why are you standing so close to the edge?
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Didn’t we already accept? I mean, that’s why we’re here, right?
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Ah yes, I can see why this detail would have been so forgettable. And why you also evidently forgot to tell Shiftry’s team. And probably why Shiftry’s team hasn’t returned.
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Perhaps even a… Pocket Monster? *dodges tomato*
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If you don’t believe it, why did you bring it up?
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It seems consumption of one’s own pride gives one indigestion.
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Don’t worry. Cherithe is just being yellow-bellied. *leaps behind cover to avoid tomato hailstorm*
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This is absolutely adorable. I want my own Pika-cherithe.
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If I were Jumpluff, I would be able to call that bluff in a heartbeat. Yes, true, it is reasonable to assume that Joat and Cherithe had, if not the same breakfast, food from the same source, given they do their shopping together. However, given the phrasing and the abrupt nature of that line, she may as well have added a loud “HINT HINT” at the end of it.
For that matter, what do Pokémon eat, in the Mystery Dungeon continuity? I mean, I doubt any Pokémon eat other Pokémon in this version of the Pokémon universe, so… do they all subsist on berries, seeds, apples, and gummies, as the mechanics suggest?
It’s rather unfortunate that my two dialogue choices in this case are “be a complete coward” and “be incredibly dense.”
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I do hope Cherithe is whispering that line.
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The funny thing is, the original incarnation of Cherithe (the Pathfinder character) has, in her brief time in use before the game fell apart, slain a dragon and two demons without really batting an eye.
Mind, the original was armed with various science gadgets, along with a mix between dragon scale armor, chainmail, and a fancy ballroom dress, so…
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…I don’t know how much brains I expected anthropomorphized cottonweed to have, but I expected more than this.
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Well, that’s thankfully a shorter distance, this time. Even if we don’t have Malchoir’s sticky paws to help with making inventory management more of a nightmare restocking items.
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This may not be the water maze, but I think things are getting leeky in here. *dives for cover from the gum-seeking tomatoes*
Quite a nice find!
I’ll go ahead and equip it, since my offense is behind by an embarrassing amount.
And another one! This one shall go to Pulse.
…I so wish I had this when Cherithe was halfway across the floor from me and counting.
…
This is just too perfect.
Much as I would like to give a quip, considering this is not all that well-known, I suppose I should give an explanation, instead. My beloved, at the time the original version of this LP was made, was known as Red. For any who have read it, he is the one pictured in the image near the beginning of the Bunny Link to the Past LP. Though he is, nowadays, most often a kitty (roleplay-wise, not actually, obviously), he used to spend a fair while in bear form (and still occasionally does) and bears still hold a spot in his heart. It is from this form that an alternate nickname, Reddybear, was born.
Sorry, Pulse, but you’re getting removed from the main roster, it looks like. I need some time with my beloved.
His higher-offense-than-defense stats seem appropriate, for Red.
He also has an ability that is quite helpful and appreciated, but does make things a bit more complex. Which I suppose is also appropriate for Red, come to think on it.
That said, that low HP is concerning, considering that he’s lost forever if he falls before we leave the dungeon.
Tempting, considering it raises Special Attack, but the main one who would benefit from it is Cherithe, and she does not need the help, since whenever she breaks out the lightning, it tends to be a one-hit KO anyway. A Pecha Scarf seems more suited to her.
Huh. For once, an attack dealt more than minor redness and irritation to Cherithe.
And so, Reddybear’s tapestry of battle begins…
And another one…
Even if not very effective, I think this is the first time Cherithe used Thundershock and it was NOT a knockout.
…I think Reddybear got a bit overzealous.
*sigh*
Choice most definitely validated.
Right here, specifically? How do you know? On this floor, perhaps, but I do not think we have a map with a big red X anywhere in our inventory…
Ve’s playing peek-a-boo, apparently.
While shivering, but still.
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Speaking is a free action, but sadly, so is interrupting.
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“Oh yeah, the entire other half of our mission!”
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If someone is unconscious for any reason other than sleep, shouting to them is unlikely to work.
Then again, neither is a bucket of water, I imagine, but that doesn’t stop that from working in most media.
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Cherithe apparently already did, before.
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Is ve going to turn into a zombie?
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Dangit, Dumbledore!
???: Gyaoooooh!
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Oh no, anything but… it!
???: Move aside, you!
Good sir, if you would turn on the lights, that would help. Otherwise, I may have a hard time ensuring that “aside” does not translate to “right into you.”
???: He dared to disturb my sleep!
Oh geez, it’s Skarmory…
???: I have no mercy for meddlers! And that includes you!
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Then the lights turn off again and another Pokémon is gone, and then it repeats until it turns out the butler was the murderer.
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Why are you not just attacking us here? If ve doesn’t want to be disturbed, why is ve setting verself up to be disturbed again later on?
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Good thing we don’t have to worry about type disadvantages with our party, at least.
Mood whiplash!
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???: Did you say Zapdos?
“That’s the secret word!”
I’d give another joke about eavesdropping, but with them, I can see it a bit more, given we live at apparently the edge of town and they have good reason to be coming and going a lot.
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“My arch-nemesis…”
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From where, exactly? Nobody could see it, apparently. Did ve post it on Facepoké?
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If it’s normally riddled with potentially cloud-destroying winds, why did Zapdos feel that would be a good napping spot, again?
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Well, maybe if we get a really big cup and a whole lot of coffee…
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I hate to be a buzzkill, but… yeah, pretty much.
I mean, sure, it’s dangerous for them, too, but the difference is, they’re Gold Rank, and we’re… not.
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“We”?
Okay, I may be selling myself a bit short, at this point. I really have been feeling a fair bit more powerful since I got that second offensive move and thus didn’t have to use PP attacks so rarely. Still, though, that doesn’t change the fact that I’m kiiinda squishy.
I think the game is confusing “fear” with “cowardice.” A common mistake, really. Personally, in this situation, I would like to think I would step up to the task. But I’d be terrified while doing it. And the rest of the missions, for that matter.
Did I mention I don’t like pain? Because… I don’t like pain. Pain hurts.
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Honestly, I don’t think I recall being hit by any electric-type moves. I got decimated with a green onion stalk, though! Is that close enough?
Don’t worry! I have rocks!
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At 1’ length, that’s about all I would qualify as.
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Just… maybe a slightly lower rank.
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“Maybe not brains, but…”
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I’ll go get my finest rocks!
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Now that sounds like the Pathfinder Cherithe I know!
Except… wait. Weren’t you cowering earlier, when there was only maybe a monster? Yet now that you know there is, you’re all gung-ho?
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YEEEEAH!
Actually, that’s not true, which makes Ghost-types incredibly annoying in this game.
“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!