Part 24: Day 9 - Sinister Woods

Over the last few weeks, things have been just getting crazier and crazier around here. It's getting so we're getting so many rescue requests we have to split the team into teams just to keep up. It's taking its toll on everyone, me included. But I think Jake is taking what happened the hardest. Not even the praise of the people we managed to help has cheered him up...





I was off visiting relatives when the disasters started, and on my way back home I got lost in these creepy woods and couldn't find my way out. Thankfully Team Hugs was able to find me and send me safely to Pokémon Square. They could be named Team Magical Dancing Clefairies for all I care; the important thing is, they were there when I needed them. Thanks.

Revenant Threshold rewarded us for rescuing him with 400 Poké and Goggle Specs, a hold item that reveals hidden traps and invisible Pokémon. We won't be running into either of those any time soon, though.



When I found out Franny was missing, I knew just who ask to look for her: my brother Sheldon. He started a rescue team just last week, and already they've reached Bronze Rank! I knew he could get the job done, and he did.

I figured I wouldn't have any problem getting some of those clear gummis you can find in the woods. The mad Pokémon weren't a problem, but I got lost without any currents to follow. Thank goodness for Team Hugs finding me!

skoolmunkee gave us 400 Poké and a Joy Seed for our trouble! Joy Seeds are like Rare Candy from the mainline Pokémon games; they instantly raise a Pokémon's level when eaten. Jake tends to lag behind level-wise, so he'll get this.



Hankosha got carried off by a Fearow, and when I Transformed to follow him, the Fearow dropped him over Sinister Woods. I didn't want to risk catching whatever's going around, so I flew back to town before my Transformation ran out and went looking for help. I'm glad I found Team Hugs!

Yes, my name is Hankosha. Oh, you know a Minun named Hankosha? That's my grandson's kid. Kind of a funny story-- well, yes, I'm quite old. Well, maybe I just don't want to evolve, did you ever think of that?

Neeksy gave us the friend Area Sky Blue Plains! It's one of four Friend Areas we can only get through Wonder Mail, and having it triggers a subplot later. Doing this mission should also unlock Magikarp in our game.



Oh, and to those wondering: Hankosha + Feebas female (both Dragon egg group) = Feebas male + Marill female (both Water 1 egg group) = Marill male + Minun female (both Fairy egg group) = Hankosha. You're welcome.



I told Bitbyte it was a bad idea to go into the woods alone, but it wasn't worried. Well, I was worried, and when it didn't come back the next day, I went looking for help. It's a good thing Team Hugs was able to rescue it-- even if it didn't actually need to be rescued!

How many times do I have to execute the loop? I apologize. I was paying more attention to the environment than my chronometer.

Sockser punches Bitbyte in the hoverpod until it coughs up 400 Poké and some X-Ray Specs for our trouble. X-Ray specs let us the locations of all items and enemies in real time. Unfortunately, Jake's not taking that Friend Bow off, and they don't work unless the leader's wearing them. This mission also unlocks wild Porygon2, though we could have acquired one by evolving a Porygon post-game.



So yeah, I know this guy, and he's, like, totally obsessed with fruit? And he said he was gonna, like, go to Sinister Woods 'cause he heard they had, like, apples that don't taste like the ones in town, y'know? Only then he didn't come back for a while? So I asked this totally cute Meowth to go look for him, y'know? And he, like, totally rescued my guy! Fer shur.

(Every word out of your mouth is like a drop of acid directly into my ear.)

OrangeSoda totally paid us back with 400 Poké and a Gold Ribbon. Righteous.



It's hard enough to communicate with Christo at the best of times, so I wasn't too concerned when I lost contact with him at first. When he missed dinner, though, I began worrying. He never misses dinner, even if he has to show up for lunch to be on time. So I asked around and found a rescue team willing to go after him. Apparently they'd met before.

...thank... you...

Cosmo gives us 400 Poké, the going rate for this mission difficulty, and the Psychic TM. Unfortunately, neither Jake nor Sheldon can use it, so it goes on the pile to sell.



I went to Sinister Woods looking for a Clear Gummi, but I couldn't find one on my own, so I figured I'd ask a rescue team to bring me one. As long as they're in the neighborhood, right? They looked kinda bummed when they brought it to me, though. I wonder what happened?

Grapplejack provides 400 Poké and an Insomniscope, which prevents the holder from falling asleep for any reason. It's useful, but situational.



It's hard to look fashionable and formidable at the same time, but I try my best. This season, I decided to go with the Pecha Scarf; it accentuates my natural beauty and protects me from slow, wasting toxins. Unfortunately, those morons at the Kecleon Shop wouldn't know fashion if it bit them in the-- well, let's just say I was having a hard time locating one. When I heard that a Squirtle, of all things, had been seen with one, I knew I'd have to act quickly before he leeched all the flair out of it.



A strangely familiar Blaziken rewards the team with Ginseng, a clear gummi, and a Heal Seed, which clears up all status problems. (If you don't choose the checkbox to add money to a Wonder Mail, the client throws in a few random items like this instead.)

So a lot of people were pretty happy with our performance, but Jake was brooding on the one we couldn't help. I figured it'd be better if he wasn't alone tonight, so I told my family I'd be staying the night at his place. I think it's for the best. Rugby stayed too, and I think it helped.



When the Pokémon in my home went crazy, I got really scared... maybe I got a little crazy too. So when I saw Jake and Sheldon, I tried to beat them up before they could beat me up, but they were way too strong, so I started running and begging for my life. They followed me until I was cornered, but then they did something I didn't expect: they talked to me. Jake didn't want to hurt me. He wanted to be my friend! There was just something about him that let me knew I could trust him... so now I'm a part of Team Hugs too. I just hope that we can put a stop to whatever's causing all of this; I miss my family.



Rugby (Sentret, #161) is hugged! Pokémon hugged: 14. (Thanks, AlphaMole (art) and Mesonychoteuthis (name)!)

I guess what really hurts is we didn't even get the chance to really know her.





Shroob (Shroomish, #285) is hugged! Pokémon hugged: 15. (Thanks, AlphaMole (art) and Rooreelooo (name)!)

...and then the next thing we knew...



The worst part of this death was that it was totally preventable. On the previous level, I had two Reviver Seeds, but Shroob got separated from the group due to poor pathfinding and I didn't notice until she started getting hit. Even then, if I'd told her to use nothing but Absorb and stand her ground, she wouldn't have died twice before I was able to reach her. (I told her to run away, but the AI for that tactic is questionable; they basically just spaz and run around randomly.) And here, if I'd just stood my ground and waited for the paralysis to wear off, odds are Jake could take the beating.

I guess that's why Churchill isn't here. Just looking at him and remembering her... well, it's hard on everyone, even him. It's not his fault, after all.



Churchill (Shroomish, #285) is... welcomed to the team. (Thanks, Karma Guard (name)!)

In case it's not clear, this isn't the same Shroomish that took out Shroob. Also, it doesn't really fit anywhere in the narrative, but Jake learned the Nontraitor IQ skill from eating a gummi. It's useful; in this game, if a Pokémon gets confused, any attacks he throws will be in a random direction. With Nontraitor active, at least directions that would hit our friends are excluded.

So yeah, we did a lot of good today... but it's hard to make Jake see that right now. He cried himself to sleep. I think I'll get some sleep too. Things will be better in the morning. I hope.



Team Hugs's newest members: