Part 21: Give Gifts, Give Junk

Music: Ranger Base


Seeing you must have been a great relief to him in that dark, forbidding forest.

For some reason I'm having trouble believing that
Seconded. I get the feeling that Gordor doesn't like Circe very much.

You've also done well to put up with his ungrateful attitude. All in all, an excellent job. Circe, I hereby certify you as Ranger Rank 7!

Music: Rank Up!


That's more like it. This also lets us use Dark and Ghost assists.
Rank 7 is the spooky rank!

Music: Ranger Base
Another thing, Circe. You are now authorized to be accompanied by up to six friend Pokemon in addition to your partner.





There's one last thing. Circe, you are now authorized to operate your Styler with a 4-segment Partner Gauge.



Two actually useful rewards at once! Can this rank be any better?
Hot damn! That almost... almost makes up for the forest.

But what was that senior citizen doing where no one would dare to go? There's something not right...



From: Cameron
To: Circe

Thanks for helping Percy out with that Politoed rescue. If you're not on any important mission, can you come out to Summerland's Ranger Base? I've got something for you. It's something really awesome, so you can look forward to it, seriously!

What's that? You got a message from Cameron, and he wants you to visit him in Summerland? All right... This might actually be a good opportunity.



Turns out it can! It's an early Christmas!
Now all these rewards amply make up for the crappy design in the previous mission.

Come upstairs, Circe. *goes upstairs*
*When talked to* Wow, that is cool, Circe! You get to ride the Dragonite Bus already! I'm still too low in Ranger Rank, so I have to walk everywhere. But you know? Some missions go better if you're on foot. I just did one like that, actually. The mission was, "How far can you go in 100 steps?" I tested it out. You'd be surprised how far you can go!

Poor Murph...
Spenser is at least trying to give him missions that are at his skill level. Though, yeah, poor guy.



We can't go outside, so we'll just grab our reward.

You're hoping to get to Summerland, yeah? Well hop right on and hang on! ...Is what I'd like to tell you, but things are never as simple as that.



See, you can ride the Dragonite Bus only if Dragonite accepts you as genuine Ranger. And how exactly do you get Dragonite to accept you? Well, you're a Ranger, aren't you? Capture it, and get your feelings across to Dragonite.
That's how it works, Circe. Before you joined us, do you remember what you wrote in your seven letters?

Just seven? That's surprisingly few, honestly.

This is what you wrote in one of them. "Pokemon aren't tools. Pokemon aren't just vehicles. People and Pokemon can share their feelings and benefit together from it. It's not a one-way street. By sharing our abilities, people can even fly, and Pokemon can be made happier." I read that letter over and over. I have it memorized now. Well, Circe? Here's your chance to prove those lofty words to be sincere.



If we say no, we can get some more NPC dialogue.

Circe, I expect you to make a clean capture.
Hey, you finally earned the right to ride the Dragonite Bus!

There's absolutely nothing else to do, so let's do this.

Good answer! Here goes, then! Put all your feelings into this capture!



Oh boy! A boss with no Friend Pokemon to assist us. I'm sure it'll go swimmingly.
Kind of a dick move, not gonna lie.

Music: Wild Pokemon Capture


...That's not sarcasm, by the way. Dragonite is like Ninjask but less severe.
...or not.

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 3
Possible EXP: 100/106/112/118/124/130

And, to make it even easier, it's a Flying type instead of Dragon. Savor this mercy, because the game is about to be cruel very soon

Music: Ranger Base
That capture was quite the show. It sort of reminded me of the Leader's style somehow.
*To Dragonite* Dragonite, do you accept Circe as a genuine Ranger?

*Dragonite cries*

It seems to me Circe's feelings got across to Dragonite fine. Congratulations! You can now ride the Dragonite Bus anytime you like. It'll be a quick flight on this Dragonite to any of the Ranger Bases you've already visited.

So we can't go to Wintown? That's a bummer...

Say hi to Cameron for me when you get to Summerland. But you said he's got something good he wants to give you? ...Well, you'll see when you get there.
OK! Dragonite, it's showtime! Top speed to Summerland with Circe, all right? Hop to it!



Music: Summerland
Hi, Circe. Keeping up with your capturing? I bet you are! Our Leader called you to Summerland, didn't he? I'll go fetch him. Just sit tight!

*Percy and Politoed go inside*



We didn't thank you properly last time, so there's something I want you to have. I left it in the Ranger Base. Come on, go inside quick! *goes inside*
Poor Circe... Our Leader has an odd compulsion to give weird gifts that no one wants... He doesn't mean any harm by it, which actually makes it worse.

Uh oh... why do I have a bad feeling about this gift all of the sudden?

*Leilani and Circe go inside*

Music: Ranger Base


Well? Isn't it awesome? I found it in the Safra Sea. You can have it! It's a gift from me to you! But what is it, you ask? The mechanic behind you will be the best person to answer that.
That thing is an underwater vehicle. A submersible. It was made a good number of years ago. I think they named it the Aquamole. But the way it is now... It's nothing but a big pile of junk in anyone's eyes. Now, if I had the necessary parts, I might be able to fix it, but...
Now, hold on! Junk? You call this junk? I object to that!



Junk? No, no, no! Don't call it junk!

Um, thanks?
He gave us metal from the seafloor as a gift. Salt water does terrible things to structural integrity, so even fixed this submersible will be a death trap.
It's the thought that counts



*To Cameron* Cmaeron, I came across an ancient building deep in the jungle while on patrol. What is it?
That's the Jungle Relic. There's a legend about it named the "Four Challenges." Rangers over the years have gone there to see how they do on those challenges. Just be careful: the legend says you're not to clear the fourth and final challenge. If you do, a great calamity shall befall us, according to the legend. When they were younger, Spenser and Joel took the challenges to see how they measured up. ...Huh, me? I make a point of not going anywhere that's remotely dangerous. Hey, but if you've got the time, it might be good for you to visit.



Eh, I kinda don't want to go through those Gligar again.



...Fine.
But thou must...

That's the spirit! I knew you'd do it, Circe!
If you're going to tackle the challenges, I'd better tell you how to get inside the Jungle Relic. The entrance is on a raised hill deep in the jungle. It's where Circe rescued Percy's Politoed before. You'll find a weird stone statue there. There's a hidden switch on the statue. That switch exposes a set of stairs that go down into the Jungle Relic. Be careful in there.
A stone statue? Understood! We're off to the Jungle Relic!

And now we're free to talk to people. We can't go upstairs because of Lunick, though.

Four challenges? Not for me! Not a chance!
The Jungle Relic's challenges? I think the record holders are Spenser and Joel still.
Just remember, don't clear all four of the challenges. Call it quits if you manage to clear three challenges, and then come back. Just obey that rule...and you'll be fine.

Countdown until we're forced to clear all four trials...

I wonder what kinds of challenges we're going up against?

Despite Lunick stopping us from going upstairs, he won't stop us from going into people's houses for whatever reason.

Music: Summerland




He was picking up a big pile of junk. He was all sweaty! I thanked him for cleaning up litter, and he went away all embarrassed.



One is said to summon storms. One is said to bring forth lightning. And still another calls fire. There are some things in this world that have power far beyond the imagination of mortals.

Those are amazing powers, sure, but I don't think it's beyond imagination.
Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres? Suicune, Entei, and Raikou?
On second thought, shouldn't bringing lightning and calling fire be basic moves for Lightning/Fire type Pokemon, respectively?



I just now realized that Plusle has a plus shaped tail.



I've decided. This is where I want to grow old.
Ehehe. I made a new friend!





I feel the urge to swim in a cozy little pool for a change. Don't you get that way sometimes?

I never swim in the beach long enough to find out.



That's why when anything bad happens, our economy gets hammered.



Can I retroactively flag a line for rewriting? Because this one needs a little more time in the oven.

That's why the strange legend of the Jungle Relic so intrigues me. According to the legend, there are four challenges in the relic. If all four challenges are won, something will happen... It's the sort of legend that excites me as an explorer.
Supposedly, there's a small lake that's connected to the Safra Sea. This is just a hunch, but I'd guess that lake's water has a salty tang to it.



That's everyone, so into the jungle we go.

Music: Olive Jungle


The guy near the vines isn't there anymore and now Wurmples can be found here. Everything else stays the same, though.



I bet it's still there. I hope people aren't stuck trying to get around it...



But we haven't heard a thing so far...



Plusle! Minun! Where do you think you're going?!

Music: Trouble


Stop that! You're hurting Snorlax! Get off that Snorlax right now!

*Minun and Plusle get off of Snorlax*

If Belly Drum is anything to go by, Snorlax can retaliate hard. That would require it to wake up, though, so I don't think it'll happen.
I doubt the comatose Snorlax even feels two tiny mice jumping on its belly.

Music: Olive Jungle
You know you're not supposed to do that, Minun! And Plusle, you, too! Yes, that belly jiggles and makes a funny sound, but Snorlax isn't a musical instrument or a trampoline! Don't fool around like that! Sheesh!



Did Minun and Plusle... Did they do that because they thought people were upset by the Snorlax blocking the path?
*To Plusle and Minun* You two are Cheering Pokemon... Were you trying to help us do our jobs? If that's what you were doing, I'm sorry for getting angry with you. But you also have to consider Snorlax's feelings, too. Do you understand? Minun? Plusle? ...It looks like you do.

Minun: Mai maaaai!

Plusle: Pla plaaah!

Well, OK! How's this, then? If Circe or I'm ever in real trouble, how about helping us then? Can you promise that?

*Minun and Plusle jumps*

OK, gang! Let's move out to the Jungle Relic!



With that encouragement, we go to Jungle Relic.



...Of course, there's still some troubles on the way. I stand by my previous statement about Gligar



*Lunick looks around the statue*

This part's sticking out a little... Is this the switch? There's only one way to find out! Click!



The relic opens while the screen shakes

Whew, that was startling... Well? This looks like the entrance. Do we go in?

Of course we'll go inside.



This, folks, is the point where many people stopped playing this game.





If you've been wondering about what people have been talking about behind spoiler tags, it's about the thing we'll find downstairs: the hardest Pokemon in this game.