Part 8: Chapter 4: The Gatekeepers Part 2

Another day of training begins.



No shirking your work, OK?



Team America immediately shirks their work.



Because we have a walking flower to spy on.

Sunflora's Oh My Gosh Diary

Entry 3: Lovely Food!
OO Month, XX Day, Sunny

Tomorrow, I'll be off exploring with Bidoof. That Bidoof is sure to wander needlessly, so I should stock up on lots of food. Oh? Why do we need lots of food? Well, as you move around in a dungeon, you'll get hungry as your Belly empties of food. If you belly gets empty, you'll get weaker and weaker... until you faint! Oh my gosh! Terrible! Bidoof is a little short on experience, so I'll back him up.

P.S. I plan to write about how my exploration went with Bidoof... Now that should really be something to look forward to! Eek! ...Which again makes me think that someone may be peeking at my diary? Oh my gosh! How horrifying!

...Writes Sunflora, leaving her diary out in the open.



We also have a tailless beaver to keep tabs on.

Bidoof's Yup Yup Journal

Entry 3: Bulletin Board Goof-Up
OO Month, XX Day, Sunny

I... I didn't realize it! After you take jobs on the Job Bulletin Board and Outlaw Notice Board... to actually do 'em, you need to use "Take Job" on your Job List! I didn't know that... So I went to dungeons without first activating the jobs with that "Take Job" command, by golly... Oof! It's no wonder why I could never do my jobs once I got to a dungeon... I finally understand why Chatot's always so upset with me, by golly...

Bidoof can never catch a break. Missing the Take Job command actually happens to a lot of new PMD players, which is why they mention it so much at the beginning of the game.



Hey, Croagunk. I've been meaning to ask you... What are you doing here all the time?

Huh? Who... me? Meh-heh-heh. What am I doing here...? Meh-heh... Meh-heh-heh. Meh-heh-heh-heh-heh...

Grinning frogs with creepy laughs. Who can figure 'em. :shrug:

There are a couple of teams looking for missions upstairs. Let's see how they're doing.



I would like to raise our Explorer Rank much higher. I deserve a rank that sparkles and shines! I am worthy!



We of Team Ebony have the Silver Rank. Well? Nice, huh?

Silver... is actually pretty low. It's still better than ours, which is Normal. Normal Rank doesn't sparkle or shine at all.

Corphish up there wants to tell us how we can take a bunch of jobs for the same dungeon at once, and do them all in one day. But we already know about that, so let's chat up some dogs.



We try to pursue weak crooks with only the highest bounties!

There are bad Pokemon out and about in the world. That's why we can make a business of catching them.

Bounty hunters: not exactly heroes.



They're right about evil bringing in the money, though. Even if you're not the one being evil.



Although we have some nice bounties to collect, Team America isn't quite ready to deal with outlaws, especially not a bunch at once. Running outlaws, like the Kabuto mentioned here, need certain items to be dealt with properly. We'll round up plenty of runners later, though.

The title of an outlaw notice usually clues you in on what you have to do. "So-and-so's Escape" and variations thereof mean it's a fleeing criminal, who may or may not have a stolen item. If a runner reaches the stairs, they make a clean getaway and the mission fails.

Variations on "Someone stole it!" means you just get to the floor the crook is on, and beat the item out of them. Not much different from regular outlaw beatdowns.

"So-and-so's Clan" and similar titles mean you face not only the main crook (in this case, Chingling), but their gang, as well. There are a couple different ways these fights play out, which we'll get to see later, once Team America has a few more levels.



No outlaws this time, though. We get jobs from the Bulletin Board instead.





Let us be brave and go on our exploration.

Looks like they're going on that exploration we just read about in Sunflora's diary.



Oof... I tell you, I'm feeling less than mighty confident.



We've got more Pokemon loitering by that rock today.





Yes, that's lipstick. We'll see more of this unusual pair later.



Thank you so much for saving my little brother!

Azurill came back safely... I... I...

Thank you so very much!



They're our biggest fans.



Y-yes!

The weather's good today. On nice days like this... I really work up an appetite!



Huh? Really?! Eep! Y-y-yeesh!

They somehow haven't disbanded yet.

Down below the bank is a shop we haven't checked out yet.



"Marowak Dojo has collapsed. But it will rise from the rubble again! Yes! The Dojo will be resurrected to its former glory!

-Marowak Dojo's Sensei-"

Yet another thing to look forward to!

There are some shady-looking characters hanging out in front of Kecleon's Shop.



Our travels in search of the ultimate treasures brought us here... But this place doesn't appear to be much of a prospect.

We traveled all the way out here, but... It turnsssss out that thisssss ssssspot issssspretty dingy, isssssn't it?

We chat with the leader.

Hey, you two! Are you from around here? Then let me ask you... Somewhere in this area... there should be a place called Zero Isle... Do you know of it?

Zero Isle? No. Should I?

Hmmm... So that's the case? Fine. Be that way.



Whatever. Mission time!





We're way too tough for anything in Mt. Bristle.



Even Geodude gets one-shotted by Michael's less-effective moves.



I forgot Spinarak was immune to sleep, though.



Dungeon-crawling proceeds with no problems, and we start making our rescues.



We picked up a bunch of apples, and I needed more bag space, so the Apples got eaten.



The first two filled Michael's Belly, and the third increased its capacity. This is why you should use the items in your bag. If you want to hoard, that's what storage is for.



Another successful rescue...



...One found item...



...And a third rescue later, Team America is done for the day.





Today we get rewarded with a White Gummi, a Pecha Scarf, an X-Scissor TM, a total of 600P, and...





Our rank is sort of shiny now!

The number of items that can be kept in storage has been increased from 64 to 96. For advancing in rank, the team was awarded one Sitrus Berry!

Like Life Seeds, Sitrus Berries permanently raise a Pokemon's max HP when eaten, but only when their HP is full, and by only 2 points instead of 3. If eaten below max HP, a Sitrus Berry gives a full heal instead.

Next time: A new chapter, and a new exploration.