Part 19: Eight Floors of Evil Hideouts
Part 19: Eight Floors of Evil Hideouts
We'll check in with this later, but first, some idiots.
Turns out the completely suspicious area was actually suspicious!
Magma Hideout
Not the greatest security system. Let's go in!
This Emerald exclusive area is a pretty neat concept and we've ever got a new Pokemon in here.
And in the course of digging, we came across something that blew our minds! What did we find? Fuhahaha! I'll tell you if you beat me!
I won't tell you after all. You'll find out when you get there! It'd be better if you saved the surprises to the end, don't you think?It's a good thing a lot of the grunts we'll be facing in this update only have the one Pokemon, because there's a lot of them and they're wholly uninteresting. I'll be skipping over a fair few of them, since there's about 30 trainers in this update that don't really contribute much to a worthwhile experience. You're welcome.
Compared to the Aqua Hideout that we'll go to after this, which is the Magma Hideout in Ruby, this place is pretty big and sprawling, like the volcano itself, which we are now going into the heart of.
Case in point, those four grunts that are giving Ranmaru pittance exp if nothing else.
Least there's some cool items here and it's pretty fun to explore, mainly because I don't remember every little detail of this place like I do the rest of the game.
Let's hope this item was worth guarding.
Yeah it was pretty good. Onwards.
That was overall a long dead end to get some sweet loot, so let's keep going the actual way.
I'm sure glad the staggering, vile heat and poisonous gases of lava don't happen in media. Though since we're underground this is technically magma.
Behind door number two?
I'll say, holy moley that's a rare item. A bonus for Emerald players.
Hmm, I wonder how that would go... well, back to the main room. Nothing but drills dozing here.
Well, I mean, Team Aqua needs to have some real good stuff to make me like them more.
Alright, enough with the riff raff, seems like we're getting close.
MAXIE went to GROUDON just seconds ago! It's going to awaken real soon! Hehe! Hehehe!
...are you kidding me right now?
Wargreymon is just gonna solo you, don't be too upset.
I feel like there's someone missing in this Team Magma... probably not that important then.
Alright, let's go see what Maxie's doing. I hope it's not anything stupid!
This BLUE ORB is what you sought. Wasn't it? I have brought you the BLUE ORB. Let its shine awaken you! And show me... show me the full extent of your power! Groudon Awakens
GROUDON! What's wrong? Wasn't the BLUE ORB the key? GROUDON! Where have you gone...
I've seen you poking around uninvited here and there... I get it now! You must have pulled a cheap stunt! VS Leader Maxie
Alright that's a bit better. It's round 2 against Maxie! Man, Archie is getting off easy.
That might've not been the best idea.
Super Potions? In this part of the game, in this second boss battle, on your first Pokemon, localised entirely within that health bar?
I can see why Maxie wants to expand the land. Using Camerupt as your ace is cool, but super risky.
How cute, his Golbat really likes him. It's a fast bugger too.
My dude, have you ever heard of Hyper Potions?
Magma Hideout
That's what you're trying to say, aren't you? Humph... you think I didn't know that? With GROUDON gone, there is no longer any need for this blasted volcano. I am going after GROUDON, so this is where we part!
Well I hope that series of events didn't just doom us all, so let's get out of here. This was some neat exclusive content, but there's still plenty left to go.
Slateport City
Now in the original games, after getting the orb from Mt. Pyre, Maxie/Archie will specifically say they're going to Slateport City next, whereas in Emerald, Archie doesn't say that at all, so you'll only know to come here if you visit their Hideout and told by the grunts blocking the way. Just a little peeve.
Man these guys get everywhere.
(GABBY) That's wonderful, CAPT. STERN! Thank you for taking the time from your busy schedule to talk to us. We hope we can interview you again with news of more discoveries!
We made a huge discovery on our last seafloor exploration. We found an underwater cavern on ROUTE 128. We think it's a habitat of a POKEMON that's said to have been long extinct. Team Aqua Encounter
Your objectives are meaningless! We expect your total cooperation! Fufufu... just watch and learn what TEAM AQUA has planned!
Where did it come from? It's from the HARBOR! The submarine! They're trying to take it! YUKI! Please, come with me!
When I was younger, I though the evil team was using a PA system to reach outside the shipyard. But no, it's just Archie standing in here using a megaphone. That's a million times better.
But now... no one can stop us! No one! Or, will you follow us back to our HIDEOUT in LILYCOVE CITY? Fwahahahaha...
I don't think underwater is how you enter a submarine, unless it's large enough for its own pressure room.
They can't be after the slumbering POKEMON at the bottom of the sea... But even if I were to chase them, I don't stand a chance against them... Aqua Hideout
Another day, another evil team to flush out of a hideout.
Like the Magma grunts, there is nothing interesting about the Aqua Grunts, aside from being better dressed for their environment.
Ahah, teleporters! Let's go right.
Alright, let's go to that next teleporter down there.
Hmm, a real puzzle this one.
I dunno how many times I've done this puzzle, but uh, it's a lot. I could do it with my eyes closed if I wanted... but I won't. Let's see what our reward is.
Would've been more convenient to get a Magneton in New Mauville, but hey, saves me a catch. Now, which ball is the booby trap?
Ah, how could I, the guy who knows way too much about this shitty series for kids, be caught by surprise?
Nice nice nice nice nice nice. I've already caught a Fearow and Tentacruel with these already, so I'll be using them properly from now on, now that there's important Pokemon to use them on.
Please refer to my previous comments on the team's uniform.
Slowly but surely I'm levelling against these guys. Still more interesting than Rocket grunts I suppose.
...I really don't need more of these.
Does wasting my time really matter in a turn based RPG?
Alright that's enough grunts to last me for at least an... update. Sigh.
Got here already, did you? We underestimated you! But this is it! I'm a cut above the GRUNTS you've seen so far. I'm not stalling for time. I'm going to pulverise you!
Hey it's Matt! You remember Matt, right? Such a crazy personality that's the exact same as Tabitha's, what a great character.
Alright fine there's not much to say about Matt.
While I was toying with you, our BOSS got through his preparations!
Our BOSS has already gone on his way to some cave under the sea! If you're going to give chase, you'd better search the big, wide sea beyond LILYCOVE. But will you find it then? Hehehe!
Well wasn't that fun? Seems there's still a bit more to these two crazy schemes. Now let me put off going beyond Lilycove.
Eyy, it's an Egg. We've got one more baby to get, but since it's Azurill, it can wait until postgame.
It's a widdle rodent. And since Pikachu had the Light Ball...
It's got Volt Tackle, a cool move with 120BP, 15PP and 100% accuracy that deals recoil damage equal to 1/3rd damage dealt. It's pretty neat, but other Pokemon would like it a lot more than the Pikachu family. Also remember that this is not an Egg move, it can only be passed down when one of the parents holds the Light Ball.
We'll also give the only recipient of the Thunderstone in this game a Thunderstone. As well as evolve a few other Pokemon here.
Surfing
Okay. Here we go. You might have noticed there's a lot of water on this region's map. Well, that's where the rest of the game is, pretty much. I hope you like Swimmers! Like with the three warm-up routes in our backtrack update, I'll be skipping a few trainers here and there. But hey, let's start things off with a double battle!
Shit, you can't run on water, so trainers have a chance of looking away just as you press the button to walk into their field of view. Oh well then.
I hope you like Water types too, cause there's still quite a good chunk of the dex we haven't encountered yet. And of course most of the trainers barely use any of them.
But yeahhhhhhh, this is what the next few updates are gonna look like, just large, empty expanses of water. It's definitely different, but man it's not the best thing for an SSLP. But don't worry, I've got a few things to help break up the endless amounts of water and swimmers we'll be going over.
I wonder how many free samples I've gotten so far.
Sigh... here I am in the sea, but who's with me? My little brother! Let's battle so I won't have to dwell on that!
There's some cool Water Pokemon in this game, but where can I catch them???
Will you battle with us again? But take it easy next time, okay? My big sister is really scary when she gets angry. That's why she doesn't have a boyfriend. ROY! it's your fault we lost! You're in for it later! Sigh... if only it wasn't my little brother next to me, but a nice boyfriend...
If you have no idea where I am in the route right now, don't worry about it, I'm just surfing around, having a time. Just know there's nothing but trainers as far as the eye can see.
We could explore literally every single water route in one go if we wanted. But that sounds like hell, so let's not. Just keep heading east to the next city.
Oh thank god, civilization.
"resting at the bottom."This guy will be useful for us later, cause we need to give him some shards.
Land ho! Next time, we've got an island to explore.