Part 15: Chapter 6: Team Skull Part 5

Team America has a special mission to do, and they absolutely must not fail.







That's where the Perfect Apples are supposed to be.

Let's keep doing our best, Michael!







Heh-heh. We'll go after them. Come on.



Meanwhile...



...Michael and Babar are busy destroying everything in their path.



Teach Reflect to a compatible Pokemon, and they'll take half-damage for as long as the move is in effect.

But it's not useful to me, so I hang on to it to sell to Kecleon later.



Speak of the devil.





This is Kecleon's Shop. You can find these on random dungeon floors as early as Waterfall Cave.



Buying and selling works with the already-present dungeon mechanics. Drop things you want to sell on an empty shop tile...



...And leave the shop to sell it.



The sold item becomes Kecleon's merchandise. Just make sure you don't sell anything by accident that you can't buy back.

I mean, unless you want to steal it.



With the money earned from the Pecha Scarf, I can buy one of these gummis.



Like the other Mystery Dungeon games, it is possible to steal from the dungeon merchants, but we're going to play fair for now.



Because bad things will happen if you go all Lupin the Third on a Kecleon Shop unprepared.





Bad things also happen if a stray enemy attack happens to hit Kecleon, too. Turns keep going when you're doing shop actions, so nearby enemies will close in on you.



Combees lurk the latter half or so of this dungeon. They suck in PMD Sky, because they have Bug Bite, and they will eat your Reviver Seeds if you let them.



I bought another gummi here. You can also find them on the floor normally for free, but it's nice to get whatever extras I can.



Dive, a TM here, was originally an HM introduced in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire for the GBA.



It's even less useful in PMD.



In any case, we've reached the end of the dungeon.









Oh! Michael, look there! Hanging on that huge tree... Those must be Perfect Apples.





*: Chaw-haw-haw! Easily done!



Who said that?!

*: Chaw-haw-haw!







What?! You!



Chaw-haw-haw! Team Skull at your service!

How'd these gasbags get ahead of us? They're worse than Gary Oak.

Heh-heh. Hey, it's wimpy and company. What took you so long?

We've been having us a picnic of Perfect Apples while waiting for you to show.

Whaaaat?!

Whoa-ho-ho! You took so long, I stuffed myself! Buuurp!



This can't go unpunished.

But there are still several left on the tree. Let's knock those creeps out and take home some Perfect Apples.

Babar has learned well from all that gummi-guzzling and outlaw-trampling.



Why, I was even going to offer my help for your mission.

Huh?!

You were wondering how you could get the Perfect Apples? Nothing could be easier. Watch.









Oh! Some Perfect Apples!



Go on, now. Scoop up those Perfect Apples and scuttle back to the guild. Chaw-haw-haw.

Whoa-ho-ho.

Heh-heh.

...

Hm? What's the matter? Aren't you going to pick them up? And after I was so nice and helped you out! Chaw-haw-haw.

You're going to pull another dirty trick, aren't you! You can't fool me again!



Even Babar isn't naive enough to get suckered by these chumps.





Aww. How boring is that.

I was right!



But so what? What are you gonna do about it?

The only thing we can!



Well now. Aren't we feeling peppy today! When we first met, you were shaking like a leaf, too. Chaw-haw-haw.



Even now I'm a little scared...

But I won't lose again! I won't ever back down again!

That's the kind of self-affirming character growth that guarantees a two-bit villain's doom.

So be it. In recognition of your courage, we'll be honored to take you on fair and square. Chaw-haw-haw!





They're going to try something!

It's the moment you've all been waiting for: Team Skull's comeuppance.

Chaw-haw-haw! Let's see if you can withstand this attack. Koffing and I will use our...

Here's how the fight goes. To start with, you



lose.







Waaaah! WAAAAH!

You don't beat up Team Skull. You never get to teach them a lesson. All you get is a stinky white-out.







Michael gets up.

Are you OK, Michael?

She turns to Babar and nods.

I'm glad!





Aaaaah! Waaah! They left without me!



He flees. I guess non-gassy Poison-types can't take the noxious gas combo.





But what an overpowering stench. The stench is still lingering...

Oh! What happened to the Perfect Apples?!





Aw! They're gone!



If they're all gone, there's nothing we can do. Let's go back to the guild.

Team America has failed a mission for the first time, possibly the most important one of their entire apprenticeship. They return to the guild to face their fates.





Whaaaat? You failed?! Are you serious? Oh no! What am I going to do?!



Chatot flies around in panic.



There was nothing we could do. You see, Skuntank and his...



Urk...

You leave me no choice. For the time being, you'll go without dinner tonight!



What?! B-but...

You failed to complete an important job. Your punishment could be much more severe!

Ugh...

I don't want to hear anything from you!



I've got to report this to the Guildmaster now! Upon hearing my report, the Guildmaster is sure to...





He flaps around some more.



You two will come with me when I do so. If I had to face the Guildmaster's wrath all by myself, well, that would hardly be fair. Therefore, you two will come with me! That's an order!

That is so not scapegoating.



During dinner, we not only have to watch everyone else eat. We have to do it while standing behind Skuntank's grody ass.



Also, Wigglytuff doesn't show up for dinner. He can't dance in the mess hall without a Perfect Apple on his head, you see.

Afterward...







You brought me some Perfect Apples, didn't you? Thank you!

Uh... There's, uh, a slight... Uh... It's awfully hard to say this, but...



You see, uh, truth be told...





It's OK. I understand. ♪



Don't feel blue, don't feel blue. ♪





The quirky music cuts out.

As I'd explained... Um... They failed to get them, so, uh... In other words, uh... the Perfect Apples... The number of Perfect Apples harvested... would be, uh... zero.



...Oh.

Therefore... not even one Perfect Apple was obtained... That means, Guildmaster... You will have to make do without Perfect Apples for a little bit.

Yep, that's what it means!



Chatot's gone off the deep end.

Hee-heeee! Hee-heeee! ♪ Hee-heeee... Hee...



Um, Guildmaster? Guildmaster?

Sniffle...



Sob...



(Whoa! He's going to cry!)



Waaaah! N-no!

Urrrrffff... Urrrrrrrrrr...



Yow! The whole place is shaking!

Waa... Waaaaaaaaahhh...



W-why?!

Don't argue! Do it now!



Chatot ducks and covers...



...And the rumbling gets even louder...



...As Wigglytuff's bawling reaches ear-destroying levels. This is what Chatot was dreading all along.



We're at ground zero of the Hyper Voice heard 'round the world.















Please accept it as our token of friendship.



Yay! Thank you! Friends! Friends!



Thanks to you, we've all been spared a catastrophe!







Chaw-haw-haw. No, no, it's quite all right. After all, your guild has been very generous and hospitable to us. It's only right that we try to repay that favor in our own way.



To be able to embark on an expedition with someone so noble as you... It will be truly inspiring!



Truly, we look forward to our expedition. It's late now, so we'll be off to bed. Until tomorrow then. Chaw-haw-haw!





After that shit-show...



But, Chief... Why'd you bother helping out that chicken? Like giving away that Perfect Apple right then... We should've just watched what'd happen to them after. That would've been hilarious.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly.

Chaw-haw-haw! You're not thinking strategically, you two. Why'd we come here in the first place? The expedition, right? Right now, the trick is for us to win the trust of Wigglytuff.

I get it now.

But... This being a famous guild and all, I was playing it cautious at first, but it's been ridiculously easy. Wigglytuff's been nothing more than a big baby. He's no big deal. Why everyone's so terrified of Wigglytuff, I don't know. I'm clueless. Anyway, if we find a treasure while on the expedition...

We knock out the guild's crew.

Then we snatch the treasure and skedaddle on out!

Whoa-ho-ho! This plan is a sure thing.

Heh-heh.

Chaw-haw-haw.





It's great that Wigglytuff didn't blow up at us.

Yeah, at least he didn't blow us up.

Urf... But we didn't get to eat dinner after all... I feel horribly hungry... Sorry, I know you're hungry too, Michael. Staying awake like this doesn't make it better. Let's get some sleep.





Next time... another day.