Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team Part #46

Part 46: It's the Scary Mankey Show!

...This... that dream... again... it's been a while...

...You're... Gardevoir...

Yes...

...Gardevoir. There's so much I want to ask you. Why do you appear in my dreams?

As an agent of spirits... I must watch over you... because that is my role now.

...An agent of spirits?

Yes. I fell under the curse of Ninetales in the place of a trainer and became a presence without a physical form like this.

Trainer...? You mean the human that was in the legend about Ninetales? It's awful that your trainer would abandon you and run away.

Yes. My trainer was a terrible person. Mean and conniving... my trainer wasn't a nice person, truly.

But... I don't hate my trainer.

Huh? Why not?

Well... I wonder why myself. I don't quite understand... My trainer did some terrible things, but somehow, I can't bring myself to feel hatred...

My trainer had some quirks, but there were good qualities too.

And when it happened, I was desperate...

You mean Ninetales's curse?

Yes. I protected my trainer from Ninetales's curse with my entire being. If the trainer is facing danger... it is our duty to protect the trainer with our lives... We Gardevoir are that way. I kept my trainer safe... that alone was enough to make me happy.

(...protect the trainer even at the risk of your own life... it's amazing what she did.)

Oh, I must mention, I don't mind the form I have taken. I live on this way with pride in the role I have been given.

...Role?

Yes. All things have a role. They all serve a purpose. Just as I have my own role to play, you, too, have a role to fill. You have come here to perform a certain role... and, for that role, you became a Pokémon.

What...? What are you saying?

Wah! E-earthquake?! No! Wait! I need to know more...

The next morning...

...There was an earthquake... wasn't there? Oh! Gardevoir knows! She knows why I became a Pokémon. But what did she mean?

Good morning, Jake!

...hunh? What's up? Is something wrong?

Um...

Oh, right! That earthquake earlier! You're worried the same way I am. I should've known.

(That wasn't what I was gonna say...)

Alakazam's team hasn't come back yet... and they say Groudon is wickedly strong, so yeah, it is a bit worrying... but then again, Alakazam's bunch is tough too. They should be okay. Well, we did leave Groudon up to Alakazam, so we can't do much of anything but wait for them to come back.

We've got to do what we can do. So let's give it our best for our rescue team!

Right! For Team Hugs! Let's see what's in our mailbox today!

Uh... um...

Um... I'm Wynaut, and this is--

Wobbuffet!

We have a notice on the Bulletin Board outside the Pelipper Post Office.

Wobbuffet!

Please look at it for me. Please, please.

Wobbuffet!!!

Please help me. I have to go now.

Wobbuffet!

What was that? What just happened?

He wants us to do a job for him? Why didn't he just write us a letter?

I don't know, Jake. Let's go check the bulletin board and find out what's going on.

It's been a while since we've been in town; let's see if there's any news.

Oh, wasn't it shocking?! That earthquake was terrible!

What's that? Has Alakazam's team returned? I'm not sure... I haven't seen them around the square. I don't think they've come back.

That earthquake here was wicked. If it can happen here, will more serious natural disasters come to the square?

That quake was something else! It caught me by surprise. I almost drowned in the pond!

I hardened when the quake hit. I couldn't take a step. I was just shaking inside my shell. Waaah! Thinking about it is scary!

That earthquake really frightened me. I was so scared, I spat silk all over the place. It was a mess for everyone.

Wroooar! I can't relax! My whiskers... they tell me of coming earthquakes. And many quakes are indeed coming.

Well, Son, doesn't it feel good to look out over the sea?

Yes, Papa. ...Papa? Papa, how do you swim in the sea?

...Well, Son... the three of us cooperate, and...

...And that's sort of how we swim! Gasp, gasp... What do you... take us for?! Gasp, gasp...

Okay! Papa, you're so special!

(I still don't know what to make of that little performance...)

Sheldon, Sheldon, let's check the board!

The board is full of the usual random missions, except for one at the end...

...which we can tell is special. No listed reward, no Wonder Mail code, and a dungeon we've never been to? I smell plot! In fact, when we choose to accept it, it triggers a cutscene.

There was a job posted on the Bulletin Board which said, "Punish bad Mankey." Did you two put up that job?

Yup, yup!

Wobbuffet!

A bad Mankey gang is going wild in our forest. Everyone is upset.

Wobbuffet!

We don't know why they rampage around, but they are always angry and attack everyone they see!

Wobbuffet!

Hmm... that is a problem.

Jake, we should go.

Okay! Maybe we can make a Mankey friend!

Thank you! We're counting on you!

Wobbuffet!

The place where the Mankey gang is wreaking havoc on others... The Uproar Forest is now open for exploration!

This doesn't get added to our job list because it's a plot mission. So let's go do it!

Let's take somebody with us!

Sure, we can do that. Did you have someone in mind?

Yaaay!

Oh, hi, Bubblegum! How do you like your new home?

It's awesome. It's got all these bubbling things and beeping things and flashing things! Yay things!

Well, we're glad you like it--

It doesn't have any friends, though. I want more hugs! Are you going for more hugs?

We were going to Uproar Forest to--

Are there hugs in the forest? Let's go to the forest! I can turn into Pokémon, and then I can hug them! Yay hugs!

Okay! Come along with us!

Yaaay!

(Great, now I've got it in stereo.)

Welcome to Uproar Forest! Mankeys aren't the only foes Team Hugs will have to face, of course. The forest is shrouded in darkness, making it difficult to see wild Pokémon coming.

I'm helping!

Yaaay!

(That's not going to fool anyone for a second...)

Wow, that's amazing!

Yaaay!

(...It's sad when Jake's the smart one...)

Much as I have a soft spot for Dittoes, they really are useless in this game. Transform turns Bubblegum into a Pokémon that occurs on this floor, but it doesn't give access to the Pokémon's moves, it only lasts for a single floor, and it only has 1 PP. Sadly, to my knowledge this travesty was not corrected in PMD2. Ah well, at least Bubblegum's cute.

Second floor, puddles everywhere.

Yay water!

Heh. I can get behind that. Yay.

Yaaay!

Ow! Augh! Quit it!

I don't like this gaaaame!

It's a hailstorm! Let's get out of here!

Floors 3 and 6 of this dungeon have random weather effects. In this case, it's Hail, which periodically does minor damage to any non-Ice Pokémon. Jake and Sheldon can outheal the damage, but Bubblegum will be in trouble if we stay, so we look for the exit quickly.