Part 12: Chapter 6: Team Skull Part 2

Before we head out on our outlaw missions, let's check up on the rest of Treasure Town.





Who would go around stealing them?

I've heard that the Time Gear of Treeshroud Forest was stolen. Because of that, time has stopped in Treeshroud Forest... There's been so much horrible news lately. It's discouraging.



We have no motivation at all... Why did we even bother forming an exploration team...?



Hey, gang! What kind of items should we buy today?

I want a Blue Gummi!

I want a Green Gummi! But wait...! Hold on a second! Let's think about it for a second! We don't have any money, do we?

Oh! You're so right!

That's so silly of us!



Well golly gee whillikers, isn't that just



The guild is preparing for an expedition soon?! Please do try to be chosen as members! ♪

The guild is going on an expedition, I hear! ♪ Ah, it has been a long time! ♪



We learn much from the sea. To be deep and expansive. Don't think that we're shirking our work. That isn't our intention! We insist that you understand us clearly on that point! O sea, hear me! O sea, teach me! O sea, understand me!

Buy it a ring, already.



Using the rest of the gummis in storage, Team America gets to chuggin'.



And Michael gets her first new IQ skill. Status Checker's more for AI-controlled partners, but it makes it so they don't inflict a foe with a status ailment they already have (like paralyze, sleep, poison, etc.).



Stuff like Sitrus Berries and vitamins don't have random stat-ups like gummis do, but that's fine because they raise a stat every time anyway. Unless they get one of Spinda's random effects of course, like the miracle drink we saw before. That can happen even with an Apple or an Oran Berry.



Anyhow, let's wrangle some chumps.





Aside from different criminals, the missions look the same, but they aren't, and you'll soon see why.



On the way to the first mission, this happened.



Not wanting to incite the ire of every goon, I let him join.



Even though he was just as weak as everything else. He dungeon-crawled with Team America long enough to gain a level, at least.



But he would've been in the way on the next floor, so I sent him to the bench.



CRIMINAL DETECTED! You have the right to remain si--







This outlaw mission was titled "Chingling's Sweet Trap!" and had text talking about henchmen in the description. Those are keywords indicating that the outlaw has a posse in the form of a Mystery Dungeon-famous monster house.

Entering specific rooms in dungeons will cause a bunch of floor-specific enemies to drop in, usually surrounding your lead character. Normally, we'd be fucked.



But in PMD, they give you one turn to act before the monster house does.







Sleep lasts for a certain number of turns, and most attacking moves won't awaken a sleeping Pokemon (except Wake-Up Slap). That means I get some much-needed free damage on Chingling. Unlike other enemy Pokemon, outlaws are a higher level, depending on the mission ranking, and have the moves and stats to go with it.





At B-rank, the outlaws are tougher than Team America. This is what one Confusion from an outlaw Chingling does to Michael.



The other enemies are starting to wake up, and we can't have them closing in and attacking as well.



Chingling won't stay petrified because we have to attack it...



...But it all works out in the end.



Team America just beat their first non-plot outlaw.



While the rest of the enemies stay frozen and harmless, we gather up the nice items that usually come with a monster house. That's one way to tell if a room is a monster house before stepping in and triggering it--how many items are on the floor, and what kind they are. Gummis and TMs are usually a dead giveaway.



The Roar TM is kind of useless, though. It acts like a Blowback Orb, and knocks back enemies in a straight line. They won't take damage unless they hit an obstacle, and even then it's a pitifully low fixed amount.

But I can sell it, so into the bag it goes.



Speaking of cash, Dough Seeds are nifty.



I need cash to buy gummis to ferment into drink sensations, after all.



Just be sure not to eat a Dough Seed on the last floor by mistake.





On the next floor, as the Dough Seed already pays off, I get another nice Lookalike item.



With this, any Pokemon can stand on a water tile, where items can sometimes drop out of reach.



While dungeon-crawling, I keep an eye on how close Michael is to gaining her next level.



And I accidentally befriend a



Everyone loves Wooper.



And Wooper loves everyone.



I don't love Wooper's current stats, but he's the best Pokemon you can recruit in Waterfall Cave, in my opinion.



His abilities are solid...



...And so is his moveset. Water Gun and Mud Shot cover both of his STABs and go around corners. It's not a bad idea to share a few gummi drinks with him and make him a solid party member.





We're almost done, so Sir Axe-a-lot gets to watch Team America make this Lotad black-and-bluer.



The mission title and text indicated that Lotad would be alone, so I don't need any items to deal with this one.



Missing scene: Michael and Babar jumping up and down on the sleeping Lotad until it stopped breathing. Having witnessed this, Axe-a-lot is now a man.



Our spoils of justice today: 550P and a Big Apple.



And dinner, the best reward.



The next day...



...Is sentry duty.



Diglett gives a vague excuse and skips work.



Being on the bottom of the totem pole sucks.



We do get rewarded, but it's not as awesome as the first time. 300P, a Def. Scarf, a Reviver Seed, and a Heal Seed. Useful items, at least. I'm gonna sell that Def. Scarf, though.



It could be a pile of Oren Berries, and they'd still be celebrating.

Next time, Team America keeps working hard to be picked for the expedition. But they're tough and resourceful, so they got this.