Part 41: Outskirt Stand

Outskirt Stand
Another e-mail comes to us.

Again? Alright. Good thing the Stand has a television inside.


… Alright, now I know they're just making stuff up. How? We just got here, and we never saw anything like that! Why, I'll prove it. We'll head right outside, and...


ANCHA: Just when the battle ended, another shady man appeared. And he looks exactly the same as the other man! What's going to happen here? I, ANCHA, will remain on the scene to bring you this breaking story!
For the love of... Ancha, stop being so dramatic.
ANCHA: Oh, my gosh! While I bring you this report solo, the sinister man is approaching me! Aiyeeeh!
Er... Willie, anything to say about this?
WILLIE: Oh, hey. It's you... You creamed me again, it seems! … Wait a stinking second. Why are there two of you?!


I can see that you don't understand. But there is one thing certain! You're going to battle me!
SHADY GUY [NAME], P$6,800
Houndoom (Lv.68)
Manectric (Lv.68)
Gyarados (Lv.68)
Armaldo (Lv.68)
Milotic (Lv.68)
Togetic (Lv.20, F, Luxury Ball)
[NAME]: It would take me to do it. Good going.
If you can't tell, the levels on this guy's Pokémon are abhorrently strong. He has good type coverage and defensively strong Pokémon. The Togetic, however, is a creampuff almost 50 levels weaker than its teammates.


FEIN: How do you like the job I did? Your reputation's totally trashed! Mwahahahah!
Well, Fake Hero Fein, it seems like this has been a Pyrrhic victory. Despite Snagging Togetic, and its inevitable Purification in a ball that promotes increased happiness, it seems like our protagonist's popular standing is in the dumps. From criminal to hero, and perceived as criminal once more, it seems nothing else remains to be done by him... at least, that's what you'd think, if you never talk to another NPC again. Only four NPCs change their dialogue after this battle. Fein also disappears after you defeat him at the Outskirt Stand, never to return.


ANCHA: This is a major scoop! It's a huge break in the story!






NETT: I hope that all the SHADOW POKéMON can be restored to their former selves.
Deciphered, huh? Har har har.

And now, to see the true reward at the ending of the game:

DASH: To show you that my apology is sincere, I'll run around the fountain until you tell me to stop!
Uh... thanks?


YES: DASH: You know, you really are a bighearted kind of guy! Thanks! From now on, I'll be hoping for your safety while I run.
NO: DASH: Yeah, I know where you're coming from. I haven't forgiven myself either.
(Subsequent talking attempts: DASH: Huf! Huf! Huf!)
After leaving Phenac City and returning, Dash goes back to the couple-dialog.

Spiffy Point: Strategy Memo Omissions
The only Pokémon from the Hoenn regional Pokedex not to be seen in the main story mode (fought or obtained, excluding trades) are: Aggron, Alakazam, Deoxys, Groudon, Jirachi, Kyogre, Latias, Latios, Rayquaza, Regice, Regirock, and Registeel. The first two on this list are the most unusual, as they are final evolutions of Pokémon found in Ruby and Sapphire, as opposed to being legendary Pokémon. Try as I might, I can't seem to find a trainer with those two Pokémon; if they're in here, they're well-hidden. Everything else on this list can be caught in Ruby or Sapphire, excluding the event Pokémon Jirachi and Deoxys, the former which can be obtained via the Bonus Disk.

The only Pokémon introduced during Gen 2 (Johto) not to be register as seen in the main story mode (fought or obtained, excluding trades) are: Celebi, Chikorita, Cleffa, Cyndaquil, Elekid, Ho-oh, Lugia, Magby, Smoochum, Totodile, Tyrogue, and Unown. Ho-oh, Lugia, and Celebi are legendary Pokémon (the games also classify Unown as one), Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile are the starter Pokémon of that generation (though Bayleef, Quilava, and Croconaw, their evolutions, are Snagged), Cleffa, Elekid, Magby, Smoochum, and Tyrogue are all Gen 2 Pokémon that are the baby pre-evolution of Gen 1 Pokémon unavailable in Gen 3 (Clefairy, Electabuzz, Magmar, Jynx, and Hitmonchan/Hitmonlee, respectively). Hitmontop's previous form is also Tyrogue, but without Ditto present in Ruby or Sapphire, the way breeding mechanics work, and the fact that Hitmontop is a 100% male species prevents Tyrogue from being legitimately bred from this game's Hitmontop in those GBA games. Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile could be bred if the Snagged evolution was female and paired with a genetcally-compatible Pokémon (or a male Snagged from another playthrough).

Even more interestingly, the Strategy Memo will display the shiny version of a Pokémon if the shiny is the first time it has seen the Pokémon (i.e. the story does not feature it before it is traded over). I learned this by viewing Porygon's entry and seeing Commodore, to my surprise. I have not traded over a normal-colored Porygon to see if it will replace the shiny, but I do know that Metagross cannot be toggled to display the shiny version, despite both being present on the game.

__________________________________


And so it ended. Tempted as I was, the Time Flutes remained unused. I returned them to Eagun, but he failed to even acknowledge that I had Purified all of the Shadow Pokémon. I couldn't tell what it was that I saw in his eyes. Was it respect for reversing the problems from those I had chosen to leave? Loathing for what I had done to further the problem of Snagging in the first place? Envy, at being graced by Ho-oh's presence? It was hard to tell.


The Master Ball, however, was not something I could leave in Agate. It wasn't somewhere in a place where a senior citizen might not just hand it away to the next passer-by. I mean, look what they did with the one-of-a-kind Small Tablet! Instead, the Master Ball would eventually make its way to a research center, in the hands of someone more trustworthy. Perhaps they could find a way to identify Shadow Pokémon, and accelerate the process of Purification, should the threat of Cipher ever appear on the horizon once more.

For a time, I even granted them full access to the portable Snag Machine... But I took it back. Or, perhaps they let me take it. Whatever the case, I was, and shall remain, the best Snagger that Orre has ever seen.

__________________________________


Yup. Pokémon Colosseum sure is a great game. There is still one more thing that it has to offer. In the last regular update, we take on a totally different Mt. Battle.