Part 38: Day 45 - Frosty Forest

Yay Moltres!



Hachoo!

Yuck... my nose is running, and it's freezing.

Eeew.

...this is one barren place... That snow's deep. There haven't been any Pokémon around for a while, either. Maybe there isn't anyone else out here but us.

Uhh, Sheldon?

Huh? What's up?



Wh-what's that?!

It's an Absol!



...I wander what they were doing in this lonely place?

I've never seen one before... It's pretty!

Well, thinking about it isn't going to help. Let's keep moving.

If it lives near here, maybe there's food too. And somewhere warm...

Wow! Jake! Check that out!

What? What?

See that? Those trees are frozen!



It looks pretty, but... it must be harsh there...



It's going to be awfully cold. It's not anywhere I really want to go... but there's no point in us sticking around here forever. We can only go forward! We'll just have to go for it and get through this, Jake!

Right!

The Kangaskhan statue nearby is another 'save-and-storage' statue, so we drop off our excess loot. We're then given another choice: advance the plot by going to the Frosty Forest, or take a detour to the Snow Path.



The Snow Path, like the Rock Path before it, is a quick loop (four floors) which gives us a chance to stock up on the essentials. We duck in it mainly to reset Sheldon's AI from the last boss fight and to pick up a few odds and sods to be on the safe side.



Then it's on to Frosty Forest. With such exciting sights as: frozen trees!



Not-so-frozen water!



Utter blackness after the fifth floor! Wait, what? Oh, it's just a cutscene...

...Someone has intruded upon the forest... The enfeebled flow of icy winds... is the intrusion to blame? It must be stopped. For it is to protect the forest...

Well, that's not ominous at all!



Sixth floor, ice, snow, ridiculous-looking Pokémon!



And Ditto! As you might guess, I like Ditto, even if it is completely useless in PMD. It gets Transform, which randomly turns it into any Pokémon that can appear on the current floor, but it only has one PP, and Transforming doesn't give it the moves of what it turns into. Which means it can only use the basic attack and Struggle.



'Trap Avoider' is another partner-only skill. When active, your partner will try to avoid stepping on any traps he can see. We haven't seen any traps other than Wonder Tiles yet, but trust me, there are some nasty ones coming. That said, all the traps other than Wonder Tiles are initially invisible, so this only really makes sure he doesn't get nailed too.



As it happens, the ninth floor is the last of this dungeon.



Except, of course, that this dungeon is also a two-parter. A quick stop to save, and it's on to the Frosty Grotto.



Frosty Grotto has the first natural weather condition (other than Clear) we've seen: Snow! Supposedly this makes Ice Pokémon move faster, but as we don't actually run into any Ice Pokémon, it's a moot point.



We do, however, run into a number of clear gummis (they're Ice type, so they show up a lot here, much like we found several red gummis in Mt. Blaze), and chowing down picks up another IQ skill. Nonsleeper seems useful-- it prevents the Pokémon from falling asleep from traps or enemy attacks-- but unfortunately we can't have it and Self-Curer on at the same time, and Self-Curer lets us recover from sleep and other status ailments more quickly.



We've come pretty far into the forest. I think we'll be out if we can get through this part. It shouldn't be long. Hang in there.

...

...Huh? Jake, did you just say something?

N-nobody here but my ch-chattering teeth...

...I didn't think so. A voice...? I must have imagined it.

...turn back. You may not pass...

Who's there?!

You are forbidden to pass... If you persist in trying to pass... then, so be it... but only after you have defeated me!



Ow! It's too bright!

The ice around us is reflecting this light!



I am Articuno! The warder of ice!

Yay we've completed the set!

Those that enter the forest I shall destroy with all my might! Let us begin!

Wait, we don't want to fight!

He's not listening! We'll just have to make him listen!

BOSS BATTLE #5: ARTICUNO! Click here to watch it!

This battle goes much like the battle with Moltres, actually, right down to me having Sheldon back off briefly when he takes a bad hit, only to bring him back when I start having trouble with Protect. In the end, though, we are triumphant... or at least we get him to stop for five seconds.



Please, Articuno! We have to keep moving. We have to get through this. Please, let us pass!

No! I cannot allow your passage!

Why? Why can't we pass?

The frigid forest's air... it has warmed considerably in recent times.

W-warmed up? (I'm still freezing, but...)

The flow of frigid air has been disturbed in the forest. Snow has started to melt. Snow is melting. Snow that has never melted before. This has never happened, even once. Then you appeared in the forest. Is this not your doing?!

W-we don't have anything to do with that!

Um, mister Articuno? It's not just here that bad things are happening.

Natural disasters are happening all over the place. Even if we hadn't come here, the frigid air here would have been disturbed.

Is that all? You expect me to believe that?!

He's attacking again!

Waaaaaaah!

Enough of your foolish talk! Prepare for your end!



A-Absol!

There is nothing false in what they said. Calamities are indeed occurring in nature everywhere.

Is... is that true?

Yes. I have the ability to sense natural disasters. The calamities taking place now are of a special nature. I've never experienced such before.

...So, there are calamities besides this...

(That's what we've been trying to tell you. Do you repeat everything?)

...Fine. I will choose to believe you. You may pass.

Articuno!

However!

Waah!

You must try to prevent the calamities from spreading. I'm counting on you!

(We kind of already promised that...)



Whew... that was too close...

Thank you. You saved us.

...Rather than saying thanks, focus on stopping the calamities before they worsen. If they are left unchecked, worse will befall us... My instinct warns me so.

Nnnn...

I sensed the terrible power of the natural calamities... I was led here by my feelings of foreboding...

(...does that mean... I am causing them?)

...I think it would be best if we combined forces... I will join you.

Huh? You will? Really?

Really. To put an end to the calamities, cooperation is vital. Let me lend you my powers.

...

Thank you, Absol.

Absol joined the team!

...Jake? You're crying...

...I'm just...

...so happy!



Molly (Absol, #359) is hugged! Pokémon hugged: 29. (Thanks, Rooreelooo (art) and Golden_Zucchini (name)!)

Why 'Molly'? After the Unsinkable Molly Brown, survivor of the Titanic and owner of an awesome hat. Also!



One of the few Pokémon with a unique portrait for facing right, since it's not bilaterally symmetrical.

And so, after getting through the Frosty Forest, Jake's team headed further north. The more they advanced, the harsher the conditions became...

Team Hugs' newest member:

Next time on Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, Team Hugs must go to the Dagobah system! Tauntaun-stuffing action not included.