Part 8: Pyrite Town, Part Three
LAST TIME ON POKEMON COLOSSEUM:It was suggested that we beat down Rogue Cail for some information.
ROGUE CAIL, P$528
Furret (Lv.33, M|F) {Premier Ball}
Ralts (Lv.29, F)
Machop (Lv.29, M)
Seedot (Lv.29, M)
CAIL: M-My SHADOW POKEMON!
CAIL: He came up with that fancy tough-sounding name, SHADOW POKEMON, but it was no big deal! You guys be careful, too. Don't be played for a sucker. That's about all they'll give you if you win at the COLOSSEUM.
Oh, hey, if we're trying to Snag all the Shadow Pokemon, it wouldn't hurt to be given one for free, just for winning some sort of tournament. Might as well go and enter.
♀: SHADOW POKEMON? That's what it's called? A SHADOW POKEMON? That POKEMON with the black aura...
The camera pans to the top of the building with the locked door, where Miror B is conversing with Nascour (wavey-hair dude from Phenac).
MIROR B: Oh, yes, indeed, Master NASCOUR! Our plan is coming along in a lovely, peachy-keen way. We have already broken DUKING's spirit. We can do as we please at the COLOSSEUM without his meddling. We've been giving away SHADOW POKEMON on the sly to challenge winners for gathering data.
NASCOUR: Good. The others also appear to be doing their parts to implement our plan. Our SHADOW POKEMON plan is falling into place quickly. The final phase is not far off.
MIROR B: Fuhohoho! This is perking up my spirit and body! Oh, I feel like dancing!
NASCOUR: Save your dancing until our plan succeeds. I'm off.
The screen cuts to green static, camera panning once more.
MIROR B: I shall make my return to the cave where my darling POKEMON await my return! Let the music play!
And then Miror B squatting-dance-walks out of the room, flailing his arms as he goes. I am not making this up. The camera cuts back to the protagonists.
♀: I guess there's no choice but to take part in a battle challenge there!
Talking to Cail once more, after the battle, gives an interesting change in dialogue.
CAIL: People talk, hey? The word is, there's a lot scarier presence in the shadows behind that MIROR B. It's probably best that you don't stick your nose too deeply in there. For the good of your health.
Aww, poor Cail. All he ever wanted to do in life was to grow up and become a doctor... fare thee well, Cail. We're off to
> The CHIEF's inside! SILVA came and...
And... baked us a cake? We head in, to find the other guy, equally prone.
> He ripped out and ripped off one of the gears. The COLOSSEUM's going to be without power!
Sherles and Johnson (police dudes) run in... Which... happens after we enter, not before the scientist stumbles out. Er...
SHERLES: CHIEF! Are you all right?!
Wait. The weird guy is who they're calling CHIEF?
> Yeah, the only thing bruised is my pride. It was only SILVA, so I wasn't expecting any trouble.
JOHNSON: Huh?! But isn't SILVA DUKING's trusted lieutenant? What's his motive for doing this?
> That's what I want to know. He was ranting about how the COLOSSEUM can just shut down or something. Sorry to worry you younglings. Thanks. I'll be fine now. But I need to ask for a favor. Will you hear me out?
NO: > Oh, now. Don't be that way. Hear me out. {BUT THOU MUST loop}
YES: > If the COLOSSEUM loses power, the whole town suffers. I need you to find that GEAR SILVA ran off with. I'm counting on you younglings!
Ah! I have a plan! Let's take one of those random junk gears we've been seeing everywhere. No one's using those... no. Sorry. The gears still have the same description, and refuse to be picked up. We head outside, and talk to the scientist.
> SILVA... He must have been driven to desperation...
Fair enough. A few changes in dialogue happen to people in or by Pyrite Colosseum.
> Tell me you're joking! I was supposed to win the knockout challenge this time! Uh... Well... It's not like I actually had my fortune read or anything. Yeah.
Hm, perhaps we should check back with the fortune teller. She might know where the gear is.
> I wonder what's wrong. Did it have a breakdown?
Yes. Sadly, the stresses of working in such an environment lead to poor windmill to burst into tears and end its own life. The poor Mrs. Windmill at home won't have any money to live off of...
> Oh, I don't know what to do! We can't hold battles this way.
… Get some Electric Pokemon? I can lend you my pink sheep if you need the doors to open so badly. Surprisingly, the computer and Healing Machine in the Colosseum still work. Must be tied to some other circuit.
I do a quick heal-up, deposit Umbreon and Furret (leaving Espeon, Croconaw, and Flaaffy in the party), and head... for Duking. Maybe he'd know something about this.
Er... okay. How about you, kid?
> I'm the lookout! I'm not letting anyone past me but you!
… Aww.
You're alright, kiddo.
Plusle? Ah, yes, Plusle.
You may be saying to yourself, "Lorak, that Pokemon bears a striking resemblance to your avatar!" If you aren't, I don't blame you. Still, Plusle and Minun are counterpart Pokemon, introduced in Ruby and Sapphire. Their abilities, Plus and Minus, boost the Special Attack of the Pokemon with that ability if one of your Active Pokemon has Plus as its ability, and the other has Minus. Still, I wonder why this child is worried about a Plusle.
> Waaah! You startled me again! I wish you wouldn't do that... That MIROR B.'s making all sorts of trouble for DUKING. We have to do something!
MARCIA: I'm sorry. But we're still not finished talking. Please visit another time.
Geez, you kids gab a lot. Alright, going to head into the police station to save, and...
What kind of police station just leaves the keys out like this, even if they're running off to an emergency!? Well, time to teach them a lesson in security... by opening all the jail cells. For no reason. Honestly, there is no in-game reason you could possibly want to do this.
> Hey, I don't know or care who you are, but thanks! See you!
And the criminal strolls out of jail. Um, why are we doing this? Oh, right. To steal a shiny thing that only appears on the guy's bed after he leaves.
The TM, appropriately enough, teaches the attack Thief. So, yeah. Talking to Trudly and Folly (failed kidnappers) before opening their cell:
TRUDLY: Even if you begged us, we're still not going to leave here.
And after:
TRUDLY: Even if you open that door, we're not going to make a dash for it.
Those... two lines look like they might have been a bit better reversed for Trudly, but no matter! Flee, flee the scene of the crime, and check in with the fortune-teller, Fateen.
FATEEN: Or, have you sought me to have your fortune read?
YES: FATEEN: However, you've come at a most inconvenient time. I am busy with this customer, as you can see. This time, you must find what you seek yourself. Fwofwofwo.
NO: FATEEN: Good, good, that's the spirit. I'll leave you to your own devices to find what you seek. Fwofwofwo.
Oh, thanks a lot. Talking to the customer...
> Oh, wait. Those aren't my line's, they're FATEEN's. Ehehe.
… Never mind. Time to find the gear... after being distracted by countless other pointless things!
I head over to the Outskirt Stand, to talk to Willie, who is eager for another battle.
WILLIE: Oh, hey, it's you! Just the guy I wanted to see! You see, I had the urge to have another POKEMON battle with you. It was driving me wonky! So, come on. Let's battle. I'm not losing this time!
RIDER WILLIE, P$300
Zigzagoon (Lv.29, M)
Linoone (Lv.30, F)
Linoone's relatively strong. With Fury Swipes (Normal type, hits 2-5 times), it took Flaaffy down to about 50% HP. However, a combination of Surf and Thundershock take it down.
WILLIE: Tch...Wiped out again!
And a quick check-in with Es Cade (Mayor of Phenac) before retrieving the gear:
ES CADE: They did this deliberately while I was away. How dare them! We must step up and speed along our investigation! I will continue with our investigation. Whatever you do, please take care!
Yeah... you do that. I'd tell you what we've learned, but, you know. Mute protagonist syndrome. So, where's the gear? The best place to hide it... the Construction Lot! Yeah... Just heading there to pick up the item and talk to one person doesn't qualify as deserving of a header in the OP, so... let's talk to the only worker with changed dialogue there:
> Some guy came wandering by a while back. He threw out some trash and then took off. What's this place look like? It's no garbage dump, that's for sure!
Yeah! How irresponsible of you, Silva! Let's just clean up your mess...
And head back to Pyrite. We head back into the windmill, and find:
> Ayup. I'm fine. There's no need for all the worrying.
DUKING: Good. That's good... But Silva... This is an outrage...
> No, no. I reckon he agonized over this and did it because he thought it right. I can't blame the man for that. Enough about that, DUKING. Instead, I think you should look over there.
DUKING: Wha... You people?
> Hehe. I reckon you might be saying thanks, DUKING.
DUKING: Th-That's the GEAR! You found it for us? What amazing luck! I'll ask you to excuse me for my behavior earlier. You see to be people who are worthy of trust. You have my sincere thanks.
> All right. I'll get you to slot that GEAR snugly back in that gap where it belongs.
… What if I got the gear back to keep up the evil stuff going on at the Colosseum? Whatever, continuing... Chatting to science dude:
> Oh! That GEAR! That's the stolen GEAR! Please! Quickly! Give it to the CHIEF!
Duking and Chief repeat what they say when spoken to, so we go to where the gear is missing, and put it back in.
> All done! Standing by! Let it roll! Oh, thirty long years of cranking gears ~ Oh, yeah!
The windmill starts to turn, and the gears resume spinning.
> Wahaha! This is the way it ought to be. Things are fine now.
We can talk to Chief again, who says:
> That MIROR B.'s a bad parasite. If only someone'd stomp that pest... Wahaha!
… Okay. As we try to leave, our next "But Thou Must" comes from Duking.
DUKING: I can tell that you're a man of courage and honor. I have a favor to ask. Will you hear me out?
NO: DUKING: I have no one else to turn to. Please, hear me out.
YES: DUKING: I'm grateful. I want you to enter the next COLOSSEUM battle. I need you to win the knockout challenge and find out what is going on there. I can tell from a glance that you're no ordinary trainer.
Yeah, the chunk of metal on my arm and the trench coat worn in the middle of a desert might be a clue in on that.
DUKING: I know you can win! I'm sorry, but help me.
Yeah, sure, why not. We head back out, after talking to Mr. Science:
> Thank you! The power should be restored to the COLOSSEUM now.
And restored it is. Talking to Fateen gives us this gem:
FATEEN: My. I see you've found what you sought without my help. Well done!
Like you, psychic, I know the future. And we've got a lot of future ahead of us. The bodybuilder outside the Colosseum seems confident at least.
NO: > Is that right? Then that must mean you're sight-seeing. Well, while you do that, why don't you make yourself useful and be my cheerleaders? Gahahah!
Spiffy Point: Plusle (and Minun), coincidentally, are known as the Cheering Species of Pokemon.
YES: > Battles here aren't for wimps. Try hard not to go out in the first round. Gahahah!
Pinkshirt has some useful information to add about Duking:
> DUKING had this POKEMON that he treated royally. I haven't seen it around lately, though. I hope it's not sick or anything like that.
Hmm. So, in we go.
> Hehehe. Here's my chance to win the knockout challenge and score myself an awesome POKEMON... Oh, sheesh, what am saying? You have to keep that a secret. Pretend you never heard me, okay?
One last heal-up and save, before we head into the Colosseum battle. Our Pokemon are healed between battles, which is also a good thing. Receptionist, let's go!
> Thank you for your patience! The power has been turned back on. I'll be happy to accept registrations for the next challenge. Hello! Welcome to the PYRITE COLOSSEUM! Would you like to join a knockout challenge?
NO: > Oh, that's too bad. I hope you will take part in the next challenge.
We could walk away, do other stuff, but nothing else to advance the story. So...
YES: > Okay! Will you be entering with the Pokemon that you have in your party now?
YES! PARTY! WOO! I mean, sure.
> I hope you give it your best and aim for victory.
♀ stays outside, and we're the only ones to go in. Because... well, even if there were Shadow Pokemon being used in the tournament, stealing someone else's Pokemon in front of hundreds of people seems... like a bad idea. That was the best explanation I could muster up. So, Colosseum time! There are four consecutive battles to deal with. If we lose any, we can rechallenge the Colosseum, suffering with only a loss of half of our money. Yeah, that much. We don't get any money from winning battles, only a cash prize and a TM at the end of the four battles.
HUNTER HOKS
Barboach (Lv.30, F)
Sandshrew (Lv.31, M)
HOKS: You've still got a long, long way to go in PYRITE COLOSSEUM!
CHASER TISLER
Natu (Lv.30, F)
Meditite (Lv.30, F)
TISLER: Oh, wow! You're not half-bad, you!
BANDANA GUY VILCH
Electrike (Lv.30, M)
Cacnea (Lv.31, M)
Vulpix (Lv.32, F)
VILCH: Whoa! Hey, maybe you do have what it takes to handle that awesome POKEMON.
* Espeon grew to LV. 29!
Sadly this isn't the orange-shirt bodybuilder. Guess he didn't make it this far.
BODYBUILDER MIREZ
Bagon (Lv.32, M)
Goldeen (Lv.32, F)
Magnemite (Lv.31)
Delibird (Lv.31, F)
MIREZ: You're some kind of strong! Good things could be in store for you!
> Please accept your cash prize of P4,848! And, as a victory prize, please also accept this TM06!
TM06 teaches Toxic. In a nutshell, it inflicts the "badly poisoned" variant of Poison on the target Pokemon (if it isn't immune to poisoning). A quick save up, and then we talk to the orange-shirt bodybuilder:
> The next time I enter, I'd better ask PYRITE's MOTHER if my stomach will behave while I'm battling.
What a way to go. Trying to cross the bridge, we run into a Cipher Peon:
> MIROR B., the town's true mover and shaker, wishes you to have a gorgeous gift. Now, follow me.
Yay, gifts! The Peon opens the locked door, and we enter. This ends the first section of Pyrite, transitioning into the exploration of the locked building (and later, a cave attached to the building). Inside looks... kinda spiffy? It's a bit cluttered and messy, to be honest, in need of a good interior designer...
> Right, I'm back with our latest challenge champion. Let's present our lucky winner with a SHADOW POKEMON and watch chaos unleashed! Fufufu...
> Oh, nice one. Our new champ is quite the appealing charmer. It makes a nice change from the parade of macho musclemen... Wait! This isn't happening!
OH GOD SHE'S BROKEN THE FOURTH WALL, she knows what she really is! Nothing more than pixels on...
> This guy... He's that Lorak guy that MIROR B.'d been carrying on about!
… Miror B. is a goon? I didn't think this LP was that well-known...
> Wh-What? That same guy who messed with us in PHENAC CITY?
Oh, right. The game hasn't gained sentience. False alarm.
> Gaaah! I didn't know that when I let him in here! I'll boot you back out!
CIPHER PEON NORE, P$1,320
Yanma (Lv.33, M|F) {Premier Ball, Ability: Speed Boost}
Pineco (Lv.32, F)
Nincada (Lv.31, M)
Surskit (Lv.32, F)
NORE: It's no surprise now how you managed to win the tournament.
Spiffy Point: Yanma has two abilities. Speed Boost increases its Speed by one stage a turn. (Each stage is a +50% of the stat.) Compoundeyes multiplies the accuracy of its attacks by 1.3. (A 50% accurate attack instead has 65% accuracy.) Of the two, Speed Boost is more useful.
Pokemon Poopsock: In Generation IV (the DS games), Yanma gains an evolution to Yanmega. Speed Boost is retained, but a Compoundeyes Yanma evolves into a Tinted Lens Yanmega. When a Pokémon with Tinted Lens uses a move that is not very effective on its target, the damage is doubled. This effectively ignores regular resistance, and makes Pokemon whose typing double-resists (¼ damage) only one resistance (½ damage).
Spiffy Point: Surskit is the only Water/Bug type Pokemon. It doesn't retain this typing when it evolves into the Bug/Flying Masquerain.
> Now, hold on! You're the one who brought him here!
Both of them run upward, offscreen, as Duking and Marica enter the door we just came through.
DUKING: Oh! You're safe! I heard you entered this building. It had me worried.
♀: DUKING! This is where they were giving SHADOW POKEMON to the winners of battle challenges!
DUKING: SHADOW POKEMON? Those ferocious POKEMON that even attack people?!
I've only seen one attack a person once. And that was me. You don't get to complain about them attacking people.
♀: Yes! They're giving away SHADOW POKEMON to thugs for some reason. It doesn't look good.
DUKING: Grrr... They were using the COLOSSEUM to do that?!
MARCIA: Big lady! My papa... Papa's POKEMON was taken away by MIROR B. as a prisoner!
♀: He did what?! MIROR B. used a dirty move like that?
MARCIA: It's Papa's PLUSLE. I'm so worried that they might be mean to it...
DUKING: It's humiliating. But with PLUSLE in their filthy hands, my own hands are tied.
Well, in his defense, one dancing man with a huge afro has managed to have more luck stealing an electric rodent than two people and a feline Pokemon have had for years.
♀: He's not getting away with this! That rotten MIROR B.! But we're here now! We'll get PLUSLE back for you! Right, [NAME]?
It's no Minun.
NO: ♀: It's no time for joking! We have to rescue DUKING's PLUSLE and put a stop to MIROR B.
Well, I guess it's hard to have one without the other.
YES: ♀: Giggle! I know I can always count on you, [NAME]! DUKING, it's dangerous inside this building. You've got to get everyone out to safety.
Are we going to blow it up? WILL THERE BE EXPLOSIONS?
DUKING: Thanks for everything. I have to depend on you. I have no choice. Be careful always! MIROR B. might look like a clown, but his battling is all serious business!
Around this point is the first time where the kiddy gloves come off, for this game and the battles within. With Shadow Pokemon unable to level up or evolve, only Espeon and Umbreon can grow stronger, while the levels and strength of your opponent's Pokemon end up higher than yours. The only other option one has is to use the Shadow Pokemon you Snag as you go along, to have higher-leveled Pokemon. The problem with that plan, however, is that you need to start opening the doors to their hearts to get moves other than Shadow Rush out of them. Enemies also start carrying more than 2-3 Pokemon on them. I end up backtracking to the Healing Machine at the end of each floor, to revive and heal any of my fainted or hurt Pokemon.
I'm going to wrap up the update around here, but first, let's steal the binder from the desk.
"EIN FILE H" is written on the FILE's cover. Read it?
YES: "HYPER MODE"
SHADOW POKEMON, perhaps because of their own overwhelming power, may behave abnormally at times. They may engage in such behavior as ignoring orders, even turning on their own trainers in battle. This, I have named HYPER MODE.
Hey, Pokemon turn on their trainers all the time! Haven't you ever traded Pokemon with someone, without enough badges? Actually... there aren't badges in this game from beating gyms, as there aren't any real gyms... carry on, binder.
On the plus side, HYPER MODE raises the critical ratio of SHADOW RUSH. However, HYPER MODE also prevents the use of items on the POKEMON. HYPER MODE is easily dispelled. Simply call the POKEMON by name. However, this method has a major drawback. Calling the SHADOW POKEMON causes the closed door of its heart to loosen and even open. Further research is urgently needed.
Just using the CALL command to get a Pokemon out of Hyper Mode will never open the door to its heart, just loosen it until it gets to the edge of being opened once more. I head back to the Colosseum to heal and save, because trying to go around to where the female Peon was and using the computer and Healing Machine there causes us to enter a battle...
one that will be saved for next update. Hopefully, you'll enjoy the last, new addition to this and future updates.
Shadow Pokemon Acquired:
Furret (Lv. 33, F, Premier Ball)
Yanma (Lv. 33, F, Premier Ball, Speed Boost)
Upcoming Shadow Pokemon:
Remoraid (Lv. 20)
Mantine (Lv. 33)
Qwilfish (Lv. 33)
___________
Meditite (Lv. 33)
Swablu (Lv. 33)
Dunsparce (Lv. 33)
Sudowoodo (Lv. 35)
I've recorded up to the line between the first three and other four. An update will be coming soon for that section. It's not too late to vote for balls and gender on the remaining four. The next update will take us through the rest of the building, and the one that follows, the adjacent cave.