Part 18: Getting Lost is Fun!*

Music: Ranger Base


You've accomplished the mission without flinching from the Go-Rock Squad's interference. I'm hereby certifying you as Ranger Rank 6, Circe!

Music: Rank Up!


With this rank, we 'gain' access to Flying assist. And nothing else
But we did get 6 fancy stars! That's gotta count for something.

Music: Ranger Base
After all the running around we've done chasing after the Go-Rock Squad, it's good to be back home. Circe, it's your first time back in Ringtown in quite some time. You should unwind and relax a bit. That said, there's no telling when a new mission will pop up, so don't leave Ringtown.

You know what that means: it's time to make the rounds.

You know, Circe... You're looking more and more like a proper Ranger.

What a backhanded compliment.



They make a weird combination, but they actually get along really well.

Music: Ringtown


They've been known to sweet-talk people with promises of solving the trouble they caused in the first place... ...Only to demand exorbitant payments afterwards. They've also captured Pokemon using odd Stylers, and ruthlessly made the poor Pokemon work. Yes, indeed, the Go-Rock Squad is one despicable lot.
Did you know? MC Fielder, MC Arena, and MC Fisher are triplets? Did you know this, then? They're triplets, but they don't look anything like each other? You really knew that?

I don't know... They look just like recolored versions of each other.
Well, according to 10 seconds of Google research, fraternal triplets are more common than identical!



Unless you have a very good reason, you should keep out of that forest. There's no telling if a wild Pokemon will become startled and attack out of fear.



He was muttering to himself and went into the deep part of the forest.

It's sad when the elderly develop dementia. Also I'm pretty sure that's gonna be our next task.



It sounds like too much work to write letters to the Ranger Base Leader...

If writing letters is too much work, then you won't be able to find the Skitty or go into the sewers.



The Capture Challenge opened locally! It's just to the east of Ringtown. I was thinking you might enjoy it as a little change of pace. ...Was I being too nosy?
Oh, hi, Circe! Don't be a stranger! Come in, come in! Oh, you're already in! By the way, Circe, I've heard that you cleared away the rockfalls in the Krokka Tunnel? You know everyone in town was overjoyed to hear that! We surely appreciate it!



What's a Pokemon whose name starts with "Pika"? Can you guess? Pikachu! Was that a little hard?
They've been extorting money from people by intimidating them with their Pokemon. They've also been forcing people into buying junk they don't need. And they do these things where they can avoid the eyes of you Rangers!

Almost all this region's problems could be solved with pokeballs. Get some moderately courageous trainers and the Go-Rocks would not be a problem in the least. Or preteens. Preteens are good at dismantling pokemon gangs.



They call me MC Fielder, yo! You're Circe, yo? You're well known around these parts. People know your name, at the very least! Want to take part in our Capture Challenge riding a Doduo? There's only one thing to remember. Even if you have friend Pokemon with you, you can't tap their Poke Assists.



Fuck no, yo!

That's heartbreaking, yo! Well, if the mood ever strikes you, we're here waiting, PR Circe! ...PR? Pokemon Ranger, yo!

I prefer Pokeran
That introduction and sales pitch had 8 "yos" in it.



I've been ordered to head for Summerland. If we both end up there, let's hit the field together! *leaves*

Music: Ranger Base


There've been reports of a senior citizen wandering lost deep inside the Lyra Forest. I want you to locate the senior citizen and escort him to safety. That's your latest mission.

Music: Mission Received!


Why do you always give escort missions
Non senior staff get the worst jobs. Also because this was the mid-2000s and game developers everywhere thought escort quests were the height of game design.

Music: Mission Start!


Since we have nothing more to do in Ringtown (Field Challenge doesn't count), we'll just...is that Lunick?

Music: Lyra Forest
Hi, Circe, I waited around for you. Let's go together for a while. I'm on my way to Summerland, but I don't have to be there right away. Besides, hasn't it been a while since we last worked together? Circe, you're headed for the deepest parts of Lyra Forest, right? Let me keep you company.
*When talked to* It's been a long time since we took a walk like this together.

Been a long time? This is actually our first time taking a walk together outside Ringtown.

*When talked to* Circe, did your parents give you a hard time about leaving your hometown and becoming a Ranger? Don't you get lonesome being away from your family?
*When talked to* I guess being in a Ranger is like being in a big family. There's our Leader, Prof. Hastings, and people like me and Murph. With people like that around, I guess it doesn't feel very lonesome.

I'm glad we're assigned to Ringtown Base

Otherwise we're stuck with Asshole Aria, Pathetic Percy, Lazy Leilani, or the Forgettable Fall City Rangers.
Even if he keeps giving us escort quests, at least Spenser does stuff!



There are so many mischievous Pokemon back there. It isn't possible to have a picnic with them around.

Chikorita, Zigzagoon and Mudkip are all still here, but they're not worth bothering right now.



She's my daughter. I don't think she's lost or in trouble, but I'd like to find her.
A little girl with two Jigglypuff? We haven't seen anyone like that on our way from Ringtown.
OK, that's fine, then. I'm supposed to meet her, but I'm too early anyways. If you happen to come across my daughter, can you tell her that her daddy's waiting here?
Sure thing! We'll do that. We're going deeper into the forest, so we'll likely see her soon. Of course, if you are worried, I can get in touch with the Ranger Base...
Oh, no, no, you don't need to do that. She's probably playing hide-and-seek with the Jigglypuff. Thanks for your concern, though.
*When talked to* She must be getting hungry now...

Going ahead, passing through Torchic...



The deepest part of the Lyra Forest is nicknamed the "Labyrinth Grove" because it's so confusing there. There's usually a Ranger here to warn people about that, but the Go-Rock Squad mission's left us short-staffed. I bet the lost old man wandered deeper into the forest because there was no one to warn him.

Like usual, I was kidding when I mentioned the old man being senile. This game is very easy to predict at times.



*Jigglypuff appears for a second before leaving*

Look! That Jigglypuff's going deeper into the forest! Let's go after it!



Lunick won't allow us to go toward Krokka Tunnel, so we go through the bridge that was blocked earlier.



Going down the fork, past this Mudkip...



Who's that Pokemon?!



I'm genuinely surprised if you're able to guess that.
You don't typically find Marshtomp in forest meadows, no.



Required Loops: 7
Possible EXP: 36/40/44/50

With that done, we'll go up the fork.

New Music: Deep Lyra Forest


Reminder that the map is completely useless.

*To the girl* Hi, little girl. What's wrong?
Waaah... My Jigglypuff ran away into the dark part of the forest! I had two, but now there's only one. My daddy's not here, and it's dark and scary in the forest... Sniff...
It's OK, it's OK. Your daddy's waiting for you. As for your Jigglypuff, let's see...
*To Circe* Circe, I'll stay here with this little lady. Please go find her runaway Jigglypuff.
*To the girl* OK, that's enough crying. This nice Ranger will go get your Jigglypuff. Let's play some games and wait here for her.
...OK... I won't cry anymore... Sniffle...
*When talked to* My Jigglypuff... Sniffle...
*When talked to* Jigglypuff are tricky to capture because they float and bob around. They eventually have to land, though. That's your chance to capture them.

Eh, it's not as bad as Machoke or even Politoed.

Anyway, this area is laid out in a circle with a few short paths to the side and a few to the center.
I'm starting to think the Ringtown Rangers should erect a gate in the path of the labyrinth forest to prevent people from wandering in.
They don't do that because otherwise they'd be out of job.



Unlike the rock in Krokka Tunnel, this one DOES block a path. There's nothing that can break it right now, though.



Moving counterclockwise, we find our final Johto starter.



Cyndaquil attacks around itself with a deceptively short range. It will attack consecutively, though.



Required Loops: 3
Possible EXP: 22/26/30/36



I see we're skipping Bulbasaur here.



It has the same attack as Tangela with the same reaction, but Ivysaur's accuracy is a lot worse so it's not that bad. At least in my experience.

Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 36/40/44/50



Oh look, we found Jigglypuff already. That was painless.

Music: Wild Pokemon Capture


...Nevermind (It has no attacks whatsoever, and that GIF isn't edited.)


Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 7
Possible EXP: 23/28/33/38/43/48/53/58/63/68/73

Who would go for 10 bonus style circles on the Jigglypuff?
_{It's me. When on a DS.}

Music: Deep Lyra Forest


The exit of the area is at the left side, but we can't progress right now.



There's Phanphy, which we can use to tackle the trees.



I forgot to mention that, in addition to its Rollout, it can also Tackle.



There are three trees in this area: two in the middle and one on the top right. This one and the one on the top right contain Beedrill.



The third one contains a Ninjask, which can only be found by tackling trees. It is also the only Pokemon with that status.



And it can fly through the thick bush



Skipping the 2 minutes I spent chasing it...



Ninjask has no attack, but it moves extremely fast. It only needs 1 loop, though, so it's doable on an actual DS.



Using the right assist trivializes it completely, though



Required Loops: 1
Possible EXP: 60/64/68/74

That's everything here, so let's get back to that girl.
That's a lot of XP for a single loop. I'm guessing you can't grind on those?
We can, actually. But we have to chase it everytime we want to do that. Not to mention capturing Phanphy to tackle the trees in the first place.



It's my Jigglypuff! My Jigglypuff! My Jigglypuff! My Jigglypuff! My Jigglypuff!

Yes, she said it that many times.

Jigglypuff: Pu puuuh.

Thank you, Ranger girl!



Let's take your Jigglypuff and go see your daddy. I'll go with you. Would you like that, little lady?
OK. I want my daddy. Um... I saw a lost old man. He went that way. Can he go home? He was mumbling and talking to himself. Then he saw us, and he yelled at my Jigglypuff, "Get out of the way!" And my poor Jigglypuff got scared, and it ran away into the forest. Then the mean old man laughed, "Fwahahahaha!" I don't like that old man.
The lost old man this little lady's talking about must be the same one you're looking for, Circe. You'd better go after him before he wanders even deeper into the forest. I'd like to stay and help, but i have to get rolling to Summerland after escorting this little lady. Let's try to look good on our missions, Circe!
Bye-bye, Ranger girl!


I know I keep beating the "senile" drum, but when the evidence is this overwhelming...

*The two leaves*

With that, we can go on ahead.





From: Spenser
To: Circe

I just received additional information about the missing senior citizen. He appears to have become lost as a result of being chased around by wild Weepinbell in the forest. The Weepinbell of the Lyra Forest try to scoop up intruders and spit them up outside their territory. Keep that in mind, Circe. Good luck with the mission.

So we have a maze without a map combined with a stealth mission. Terrific...
A maze, stealth mission, escort quest... Are you sure you want to claim this game isn't as bad as it sounds? Because this description isn't helping your case any!
I maintain that this game is still fun (albeit very difficult) to play. And, like I said before, the escort part of the mission has absolutely no effect on the mission. As for the rest...well...you'll see.