Part 35: Rocketing Through the HQ

Update 28: Rocketing Through the HQ



This update is gonna have a lot of fighting Team Rocket and not much else, so let's evolve some Pokemon first and have a good time! I found a nice text list of opponent trainer Pokemon for this game, so for now, I'll be evolving Pokemon you could have now and we won't see for either a really long time, or not at all. All here of course.


HP: 90 | ATK: 75 | DEF: 75 | SP.ATK: 115 | SP.DEF: 90 | SPD: 55 | TOTAL: 500
#055: Ampharos


HP: 125 | ATK: 58 | DEF: 58 | SP.ATK: 76 | SP.DEF: 76 | SPD: 67 | TOTAL: 460
#175: Lanturn


HP: 100 | ATK: 50 | DEF: 80 | SP.ATK: 50 | SP.DEF: 80 | SPD: 50 | TOTAL: 410
#131: Azumarill


HP: 65 | ATK: 90 | DEF: 50 | SP.ATK: 85 | SP.DEF: 45 | SPD: 55 | TOTAL: 390
#065: Weepinbell



Since we've obtained a Mankey, you could have a Primeape by this point, so here's the dex entry I got ages ago when I traded Wukong over. It's actually quite interesting that we haven't really found much of our old team's evolutions in Johto. Along the way, Flaaffy tried to learn Cotton Spore (Wata Hōshi), a Grass status move with 40PP and 85% accuracy that lowers the opponent's Speed by two stages. Chinchou, meanwhile, tried to learn Spark (Supāku), an Electric move with 65PP, 20PP and 100% accuracy that has a 30% chance of paralyzing the target. While that's better than most Electric moves, it's still worse than a lot of more accessible ones, so use it until you don't need to.

Rocket Hideout



With all that out of the way, it's time to kick some mafia.




Oh no, they're gonna kick me instead!



I thought about it and I realized the X trainer was defeated is a bit of a pointless screenshot to leave in. Sure it look me 1.5 full SSLPs to figure this out, but better late than never?



Two trainers in a row? I can't handle this.

"statues."

: We'll keep appearing until you trip a secret switch.



While it's weird for that Rocket guy to tell us all that, we could flip that switch now. We won't, cause Mothra needs the experience to catch up.



Every time we step in front of a Persian statue two Rocket grunts will jump us. They're always the same, but if you do flip the swtich, then it just deletes all those fights you could have and indeed the experience you could get from them. While fighting them over and over is pretty tedious, it's a necessary tedium.



: Go ahead, take another step. We've got traps set in the floor!


"are planted."

: You'll just have to collect your courage and walk.



The trap floor is a set pattern of encounters that you can't escape from and they all have Selfdestruct. It's not necessary to go through, but it can be a quick way through the floor and it actually has a hidden item located within.



Caught in a trap.



No matter how you traverse the floor, you will get into four encounters. It's not really worth it honestly, so we'll go another way.



Another statue.



This is when I noticed that there was a hidden item in the trap floor, but not exactly where it was. It's also convenient to head through the trap floor anyway since Mothra is getting low on PP.



It's not a big deal to head through. Everything's level 21, except for Voltorb, which are 23. So long as you knock things out quickly, you'll be fine.



The hidden Revive is on the middle column, fifth row down. If you come up from the other side, then all you have to fight is the bottom middle Voltorb.



Though, uh, that might not go so well. Let's head downstairs for a moment.



: Your POKéMON are hurt and tired. Here, give them some of my medicine.

"best for POKéMON."

Alright, back up we go.




And that's all the statues. I think Mothra gained like four levels because of it, very worth it.



Last area we haven't explored is the center of the floor.



: There are traps to confound intruders like you.



Fuck off.

"about our hideout."

: That things on the floor up ahead is a warp panel. If you step on it, you'll be warped back to the entrance.



PUSH THE BUTTON



Not at all necessary since the statues deactivate the first time you walk in front of them, but I like pushing buttons.



: It needs a password to open.



Well this is awkward...

"for the door."

: Where's the boss? Who knows? Go look for yourself.

Man, if there's one thing I can't stand about evil criminals is how rude they are.



What is the point of this? Ninja hideout indeed.



: Well, duh. It has to have a password that only TEAM ROCKET knows.



: I don't know the password. Too bad for you.



: Those passwords are known only to a few ROCKETs. That ROCKET there very graciously told me so. MARINA, let's go get the passwords.

"incredibly tough..."

So, uh, is Lance Batman?



: A meddlesome child like you needs to be punished.




Ya think?

"MON mad..."

: My experiment is a complete success. My promotion is assured. This loss means absolutely nothing.

David Cameron.txt



: Maybe. But no weakling's going to get it!



She didn't really like my bug.



: But it's useless unless you have two passwords.



Let's go find that second password then.

"by our experiment."


Cannot stop getting mirror matches.

"battling."

I'm the opposite, honestly.



: The very thought excites me!



: Hah! You're nuts, but you have guts! I like that! If you can beat me, I'll tell you a password to the boss's room!



I might be good, but you're amazing.



: The password to the boss's room... Uh..., I think it is RATICATE TAIL.




Alright, we've cleaned out this place quite well. Let's head back upstairs.



Is this the cause of the weird transmissions?



You can just say kill, alright? I'm ten years old, I can handle adult words such as that.


"by a kid too."

: When we were abducting POKéMON, this kid with long red hair and mean-looking eyes just creamed me.



Can't think of anyone with that description, too generic.



Hah, hilarious. Thief (Dorobō) is a Dark move with 40BP, 10PP and 100% accuracy that can steal the opponent's item, so long as the user does not hold an item. However, it only has a chance of stealing the item, though the chance of failing is pretty low, so it shouldn't be a problem. Held Mail cannot be stolen, neither can a wild Pokemon steal an item, but you can steal from trainers, however the item will be returned at the end of a link battle, or a battle in a battle facility.



I hear the gnashing of teeth in the distance.

Rival Challenge



: ...?



: ...Tell me, who was the guy in the cape who used dragon POKéMON? My POKéMON were no match at all. I don't care that I lost. I can beat him by getting stronger POKéMON. It's what he said that bothered me...



: I'm furious that I lost to a bleeding heart like him. ...Humph! I don't have the time for the like of you!

Rocket Hideout



Well okay then.



: SLOWPOKETAIL! RATICATE TAIL!



Alright, time to take on the boss.



: Since disbanding TEAM ROCKET three years ago, he has been in training. But we're certain he will be back some day to assume command again. That's why we're standing guard. I won't let anyone disturb this place!



Alright, this seems to be the leader, the big cheese, the one on top.



Johto...



So yeah, his team isn't really very interesting, though I should've expected Raticate to wreck. Otherwise, man, Neo Team Rocket sucks.



: GIOVANNI, please forgive me...



You do that.



While Team Rocket might be evil, the bird isn't. Alright, back to the first password door.



: HAIL GIOVANNI!



A new challenger?



Two new challengers!

"the loose."

: It's harmful to TEAM ROCKET's pride, you see. However strong you may be, you can't take both of us at the same time. Sorry, baby. Now get ready to be thrashed.

I can hear something whooshing through the night...

"the fun around."

: What? You had an accomplice? Where is your sense of honor? As the interim boss in place of GIOVANNI, I'll show you how wrong it is to meddle with TEAM ROCKET!



Okay, so this is the REAL boss of the hideout.



She even has an evolved Pokemon. Good experience for Mothra then.




HP: 60 | ATK: 85 | DEF: 42 | SP.ATK: 85 | SP.DEF: 42 | SPD: 91 | TOTAL: 405
#208: Murkrow



I shouldn't leave Mothra in for every fight...



But yeah, hopefully the executives become more interesting later (hint: they won't).



: It's too bad. If you were to join TEAM ROCKET, you could become an EXECUTIVE.



: But that's fine. The broadcast experiment was a total success. It doesn't matter what happens to this hideout now. We have much bigger plans. You'll come to appreciate TEAM ROCKET's true power soon enough. Enjoy yourself while you can...



And off they blast as they usually do. Hmm, probably an easier way of saying that.



: But I'm concerned about the young guy I battled in the process...



: Now all there is left to do is to turn off that odd radio signal.



Well I'm completely stumped. This isn't a Pokemon and the only thing I can do is fight, sooooo...

"the problems."

: I don't see a switch on it... We have no choice. We have to make all the ELECTRODE faint. That should stop this machine from transmitting that strange signal. It's of no fault of the POKéMON, so it makes me feel guilty. MARINA, let's split the job.



Alright, let's go beat some balls up!



Oh goddammit.



OH GODDAMMIT




There we go... uh, as easy as that! Yeah...

"stopped."

: The LAKE should be back to normal. You're the hero! Let me thank you on behalf of all the POKéM0N. Oh, yes. You should take this. I found it here, but I don't have any need for it.



Yaaaaaaay?

: That's WHIRLPOOL. Teach it to a POKéMON to get across wild water. But keep this is mind. You can use that out of battle only with the BADGE from MAHOGANY GYM.



: The journey to becoming the POKéMON MASTER is long and difficult. Knowing that, will you keep going? ... I see. No you're right. If you would give up that easily, you would have never chased that dream in the first place. I look forward to seeing you again!



Fare thee well, caped crusader.



It was a long journey, but we've successfully cleaned out the rat filled basement. Ugh, Whirlpool (Uzushio: Whirl Tide) is a Water move with 15BP, 15PP and 70% accuracy that traps the opponent in a swirl of water for 1/16th damage at the end of every turn for 2-5 turns. Only use it to get across things, cause it's a super bad move.



Hopefully the new owner of the shop will have an idea of what to do with all the free space.



But that's it for now. I wanna space out our Rocket encounters a bit, so next update will be some SoulSilver, then we'll take on the Gym and then take on Battle Tower - Level 10. Look forward to it!