Part 55: Shrooms Makes You Dumb

Music: Ranger Net


Alright, let's get Manaphy. For real this time. We need to press R+X+Left to unlock another option here.



No, I have no idea how you're supposed to know to press those buttons.



The code itself, however, is distributed through events. They're different for each versions of the game.



We're forced to restart the game at this point.



But when we check the mission list again, we'll find this newly-appeared mission.

So let's do this mission. The ACTUAL mission.

Music: Summerland


Hunh? What could that be? *approaches the egg* What's this thing that's washed up here? Doesn't look like anything I've seen before. It sure is pretty, though. That transparent blue... It's like looking at a miniature ocean. I feel calmer just looking at it... Hey, I know! This pretty thing would make a great gift for that hectic Prof. Hastings. Gazing at this every day might do something to help curb his natural impatience!

Music: Fall City


Hello, Cameron. Why the big smile? Are you having a good day?
Ah, if it isn't Cameron! I trust everyone is doing well at your Ranger Base? How are things in Summerland? Back to normal? Oh, yes, yes! Gordor, the Go-Rock Squad boss, has disappeared, so they've disbanded?
Slow down, Professor. Give me a chance to answer your questions. I'm here for a reason today. Professor, I've brought you the perfect gift to help your impatient nature.



Even the assistant is alarmed

gift, you say? ...Cameron's gifts are famous for being bizarre and unsuitable... Uh... Never mind that! I... I just said that I wish you wouldn't go out of your way...
What's wrong, Professor? It's not like you to turn down a gift! Here you are!



Now, what might this be? I've never seen anything like this... ...Oh, no, perhaps not... I may have seen this somewhere recently, but I'm not altogether certain...
I found it on the beach in Summerland. Don't you feel calmer and more relaxed just looking at it? I think it will be good to display it where you can look at it when you get irritated with work. OK, Professor. I'm heading back to Summerland. *leaves*
Cameron doesn't get it, does he? If anything this enigmatic is put before our eyes, we're more likely to get excited than becalmed. We're scientists, after all. Doesn't it excite you, Professor?
My head is already buzzing with excitement... ...Hmm... I'm getting an uncontrollable urge to determine exactly what this is. I have a feeling that I've seen this elsewhere before... *thinks* That's it! I've remembered! This is a Pokemon Egg! It's very similar to those in the reference papers on Pokemon I ordered from the Sinnoh region!
Th-this thing?! This thing is a Pokemon Egg? None have been confirmed in the Fiore region before!
That has to be it! There's no question about it! It must have been carried here on the sea's currents from some distant land. This is quite the rare discovery, especially for Cameron, given his love for finding useless junk.
By the way, I've heard there are Pokemon that, upon hatching, mistake the first thing they see as their mom. Can you imagine when this Pokemon hatches, Professor? It would be funny if the Pokemon mistook you for its mother!
No, no, there's nothing funny about that. Anyway, I'll be off to Ringtown. I want to show this to Spenser, Murph, and the others. One of them may surprise us and know what sort of Pokemon is in the egg. Why, it might even be Circe. That's just a hunch, of course. There's no point in putting off a good thing. I'll be off. Mind the lab while I'm gone!

Music: Lyra Forest


Of course not everything will go smoothly.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


Are you calling Gordor commander again?
Gordor? He is in our past. What he does now--or where he may be--is of no concern to me. My only interest is to revive the Go-Rock Squad to its former glory. But, with the way we are now, people will rightly consider what I say to be no more than a pipe dream. However, Prof. Hastings... If I were to have that Pokemon Egg you hold, all that could change.
How do you know of this Egg? And why would the Egg lead to the resurrection of the Go-Rock Squad? I fail to see the connection.
How did I learn of the Egg? Think of it this way: everything you do and say is no secret to me. Perhaps you should be suspicious of your lovely assistant...who is always close by?
You're saying my assistant is a spy?! Though now that you say it, it is rather unnatural how she puts up with my impatience without a word of complaint...

Spoiler: the assistant isn't a spy. We did see her in the aftermath, after all.

Anyway, Prof. Hastings, I will ask you nicely. Please hand over your Egg without any fuss. If at all possible, I would like to avoid getting into rough stuff with a senior citizen.
Hahahaha! Take it from me-if you can! If you think of me as an old man, you're in for a rude awakening! I'm a different from the frail being that had the Super Styler taken away. Through a daily training program, I've regained the sharp physique of my youth! You half-baked lot I can twist, crumple, and toss aside easily!
(Sigh...) Very well. Show him the error of his ways.

Music: Trouble


Go Hastings!

Twist, crumple, and toss! Twist, crumple, and toss! ...Owowowow! Argh! Stop! Don't twist!





Your training method was apparently ineffective. Thank you for the Pokemon Egg. It will eventually lead me to the Sea Crown... Farewell, Prof. Hastings.

*The three of them leave*

...Those rotten thugs... Getting violent with an old man... But what did he man by the Sea Crown? No time to waste! Spenser and Circe must be informed!

Notice how Hastings never mention Lunick by name.

Music: Ranger Base


Everyone! Calm down and listen! The blue Cameron's Egg is a Pokemon...the Go-Rock Squad took the present...and my training was ineffective... ...Calm down, me! I was robbed of a precious Pokemon Egg by the Go-Rock Squad! The egg was colored a transparent blue... Like the color of the sea! I don't know why they took it, but the Go-Rock Squad is trying to regroup! They said something or another about a Sea Crown!
A transparent blue Egg? The Sea Crown? Circe, your expression tells me that you seem to know something about them.



Of course we do!

What?! A Manaphy Egg? The Manaphy? The one that is mentioned in that ancient legend about the Sea Crown?
I remember now, too! The legend told of the Sea Temple, which is said to drift eternally in the seas. And somewhere in the Sea Temple, the Sea Crown is said to be hidden away. Manaphy is supposed to be the only being capable of somehow getting to the Sea Temple which is said to be invisible. The Go-Rock Squad's true intention must be to use Manaphy to locate the Sea Temple and obtain the Sea Crown. For the legend says, "The bearer of the Sea Crown shall become the world's king." The Go-Rock Squad is desperate to regain its former glory. If we are to do anything, now is the only time!

This is alluding to Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea. I haven't seen the movie, but apparently Solana (Circe's default name) only appears as cameo while Lunick never appears in the anime.

Circe, you're in charge of this mission. Your job is to safely recover the Manaphy Egg that was stolen by the Go-Rock Squad.

Music: Mission Received!


Music: Ranger Base
Lunick! You're my insurance policy. I want you to support Circe.



Circe, I've got your back! Let's hustle to the Lyra Forest.

at Lunick being an insurance.

*When talked to* They say the Manaphy Egg is very beautiful.
*When talked to* It's been a while since we went up against any Go-Rock Squad members.
*When talked to* I wonder what Manaphy is like as a Pokemon?
*When talked to* But it is strange... How did they know that the professor obtained the Egg?
*When talked to* I don't understand it. I thought the Go-Rock Squad collapsed after my rival, Gordor, disappeared... I thought their history had completely ended...

Haven't you heard about their appearance in Fiore Temple? (And that solo squad in Olive Volcano).

*When talked to* Listen, listen, Circe! I just got a mission from Prof. Hastings, too! Do you want to know what sort of mission I got? I'll tell you! It's a little long, but the mission's called, "Go to Prof. Hastings's lab and search for Pokemon reference documents!" I think it's going to be pretty dangerous, but I'm up for it. Let's look good on our missions! *leaves*

I don't know when Hastings give that mission to Murph or why he didn't just give the mission to a Fall City Ranger, but

Music: Mission Start!


After all, we have our own mission.

Music: Lyra Forest
The Go-Rock Squad should still be in the Lyra Forest!



We can't chase after them, though, considering these Graveler are in our way.

I wonder why Murph isn't also getting blocked. Maybe he went through before these Gravelers got here?



The Linoone family has been replaced with this Politoed.



Good thing too, because otherwise nothing here can break this Graveler's disguise. Either way, we won't have any access to Pokemon with Crush or Cut this mission.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


You're good...to be able to see through my Graveler's camouflage! But let's see you capture them! That's another story!

We're fighting 3 Graveler here, by the way. Not just the one we rudely woken up.

Each Graveler takes 11 loops, so it might take a while. Get a Mudkip so you can capture at least one immediately. Otherwise, just focus on one at a time; Graveler's range is kinda small, so it should be doable if you take it slow.

Music: Lyra Forest
Yeah, yeah, like always, your teamwork is too good! But don't think that's the only way to look cool! There are other ways of looking cool in this world! ...I know I said it, but that was a lame comeback... *flees*

I'm assuming that the teamwork is between Circe and her Pokemon, because at Lunick helping during capture.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


I see, however, that there are two paths here. Which way is it?
Leave it up to me, sir! I've planted mushrooms on the correct path as signs. Um... Which was it now? *spots the mushroom* There! My mushroom! Commander, it's this way!

*Circe and Lunick approach*

You two... You're Pokemon Rangers?!
You're the muggers that took the professor's Egg! Give it up without a fight!
Allow me to explain something, you two. This Manaphy Egg is meaningful only if we possess it. Why, even Prof. Hastings himself was told this by none other than his assistant in his very own lab. This is what she said: "It would be funny if the Pokemon mistook you to be its mother." No truer words were spoken! That is why we decided to step in and take custody of the Manaphy Egg. Do you understand now? And now, we must bid you farewell.

*The commander and the male grunt leave*

Halt, Go-Rock Squad! ...Why does that guy seem to know exactly what's being said in the professor's lab?
Hey, you sleepy peacenik Ranger! You're not getting past me. Just to make up for it, I'll tell you about our deliciously evil plan! We're going to hatch Manaphy from the Egg and get it to guide us to the sea Temple. Manaphy is going to lead us to that Sea Crown thing. That way our new boss is going to become the king of the seas! He's goign to be way bigger than our old boss, Gordor. Like, no comparison. That's enough talking! I'm switching to attacking!

Nobody asked you to tell us your plan, but thanks for spilling it out anyway.

Also, apparently "peacenik" is a real word. It's a member of the pacifist movement, which...uh...kinda sorta applies to Rangers?



Oh how threatening, I'm shaking in fear here

Music: Lyra Forest
Your capturing skills are solid... But you can't go as far as forcibly taking the Pokemon Egg from us, can you? That's what hobbles you! *flees*



Umm... Which was it now?



It's not like you can go up that ledge.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


Murph got to Fall City before these guys? Maybe he and his Slowpoke are secretly The Flash...

No one gets in the way of the Go-Rock Squad's resurrection!

This is marginally harder than 4 Rattata. Marginally.

Music: Lyra Forest
Darn it! You'd better remember this! *flees*



Ooh, a Flying assist. That's useful.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


The Go-Rock Squad will once again grace the history books!

Not with those Pokemon you won't.

Music: Lyra Forest
The Go-Rock Squad's future looks bleak... *flees*



It's pretty much the same as before, so I'll skip the rest of their misadventures.

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


We're tenacious, but you're even more tenacious!

Scyther is a definite upgrade, but it's still no match for Circe

Music: Lyra Forest
Bleh to you! You're not getting back the Manaphy Egg! *flees*







Well that sure is convenient for us.



The ledges leads back to that second mushroom, so they're locked into a loop.



The second loop has the same grunts with the different Pokemon. One decides to get a hard-to-capture Pokemon. The other...not so much.



Listen, Circe. See that mushroom there? Doesn't it look strange compared to other mushrooms? Could it actually be a Pokemon in camouflage?

It definitely is, but let's go on and see if those guys will realize that they're walking in circles.



Well that is definitely an upgrade. But even that is no match for Circe



...Nope. Doesn't look like they'll come to that realization. There's no more grunts on our way, so we can theoretically just tail them around forever.



Hey, look over there, Circe! That mushroom is definitely a camouflaged Pokemon. We should have that Swellow we just captured help us.

If we hadn't captured that Swellow, Lunick will told us to capture the Swellow we encountered on the way.



We could use the Swellow on the second Parasect, but it'll have no effect. Parasect will just move between the upper and lower sides of the road leading to the left.

It would definitely be more interesting if using the Swellow here would move Parasect to the right and lead them to Krokka Tunnel, leading to a Game Over.



Anyway, we use the Swellow to move Parasect downwards.

One loop later...



Sir, I'm sorry, sir! We shouldn't be far now, I think.
Tch! The path splits into two again! Now which way?

Same old routine. But if you remember what at the end of the south side of this fork...

Music: Go-Rock Squad!


How utterly pathetic! Incapable of even the simple task of guiding me through a forest!
Um... But I... There were mushrooms... As trail markers...

*Circe and Lunick approach*

What the...? They've chased me down?! What were my stooges doing?! To be outwitted by mrere children... My underlings are failures! Every last one of them!

You got tricked too, you know

Looks like you've cornered yourself. There's no getting away this time! Why don't you realize that it's hopeless...and turn over the Egg quietly?
(Snicker...) Don't let my looks fool you, I'm going to be the new Go-Rock Squad boss. No... Not only that, I am the chosen one--I shall come ot reign as the absolute ruler of all Fiore. Don't you understand? Your mere act of speaking against me is an act of vile insolence. Before you utter another word from your impudent mouth, I will give you a lesson you won't forget!



This can be tough without any assist, but if you bothered recapturing Swellow it's a pushover. It's so easy I won't even bother posting a video of this.

Music: Lyra Forest
I... Impossible. It's inconceivable that I lost... Call me a sore loser, but you're never getting this Egg away from me! Call me a coward, but I will flee!

*Both of them flee*

No! He got away!

Lunick!!!!!

Well, time to chase them, I guess. It's not like he could get out of the forest by himself.



...Oh, looks like we don't have to.

It's been a while, Circe. The Manaphy Egg isn't just something that anyone can hold thoughtlessly. It isn't something that is simply beautiful. It contains a life. At the very least, the one who should be looking after this Egg isn't this fool!
Owowowowow... Please, stop twisting my arm like that, Gordor... You abandoned the Go-Rock Squad! What made you come back like you own the place...? Owowow! OK, OK! I got it! You can have your Egg! *gives the egg before fleeing*
*Picks up the egg* This is... The Manaphy Egg... Gordor... What did you do after disbanding the Go-Rock Squad?
I've done nothing in particular since then... I've thought a lot. I've thought about how you saved me at the very end... I felt small and ashamed of my own petty pride that was nothing next to the glare of your nobility... It was pathetic, but it was all I could do to flee in shame. But I've awakened from the nightmare. I've finally realized that what I should be doing is making amends for my crimes. I ask myself every day what I can do to make things better for people. I don't think that I can ever atone for all my misdeeds, but I must try. You are the ones who awakened me to become what I am today. And for that, I owe you a thanks. Thank you... And please, give my regards to Prof. Hastings. *leaves*

What, no laugh this time?

Wow... He was like a changed man. It was as if he hatched from an egg or something. This Egg... We'd better take it back safely.

Music: Ranger Base


And look at you! Cradling that Manaphy Egg as if it were a newborn child! Quick, quick! Let me have a closer look!
Professor, please try to stay calm while I say this. This Egg... We recovered it in the end with Gordor's help. He appears to have changed after Circe saved him that time. *returns the egg*
What did you say?! Did you say Gordor?! He recovered the Manaphy Egg...
Good work, both of you. If the remaining Go-Rock Squad holdouts were to get this, there's no telling what sort of trouble would brew up. If Gordor really had a change of heart for the better, then we can credit that to you, too. That's mission cleared, you two!

Music: Mission Clear!


You don't deserve to do the pose, Lunick!

Oh, that's right! Everyone, listen! Murph did a fantastic job on his mission. I think he should tell us in his own words.
Well, the mission I was assigned was to help the assistant lady search for reference material. So, I was helping, and then I saw this huge book, so I started flipping through it. And that's when I found it! The book was hollowed out, and there was a listening device in it! You bet I was surprised! I mean, it was this transistor radio bug! It was listening in! The assistant lady joked, "Did the professor set it to see if I was saying things behind his back?" But on close inspection, we found a Go-Rock Squad logo on it. They were eavesdropping on the professor!
Murph, wow, that is so cool! Imagine finding a bugging device! That's like something straight out of a spy movie!

Great job, Murph!

...Unlike a certain someone who just stand there while Circe do all the work

*To Hastings* By the way, Professor... Are you maybe not getting along too well with your assistant?
What a thing to say! I resent that insinuation! Me? Consider my assistant a spy? That only happened once... ...Uh, no, no, no! Never once have I thought of her as a spy! But, regardless, I will buy my assistant a gift and get back on her good side!
Do you maybe mean that Egg is going to be a gift to her?
Oh, no, no! This is no gift. This is an invaluable research specimen. This Egg still remains largely shrouded in mystery. How was the Go-Rock Squad planning to make this Egg hatch in the first place? There have been no reports of successful Pokemon Egg-hatching in the Fiore region as far as I know...
You're serious?
As serious as a broken Styler, yes. What's more, this happens to be an ultrarare Manaphy Egg. How are we to approach this delicate issue of hatching the Egg...?
Professor? Even you don't know.
I just thought of something good! Why don't we catch the Go-Rock Squad and get them to look after the Egg until it hatches? ...Oh, wait a minute... That would put us back to where we all started, would it? Actually, knowing them, they probably already ran off somewhere far away.
Hm? Murph, what did you just say? Somewhere far away? Brilliant! There is that option! For example, in the Sinnoh region, there should be many highly skilled Pokemon Trainers. Rather than keeping the Manaphy Egg here, we should have someone in the Sinnoh region hold it for us! For the time being, I will take the Egg back to the lab. Murph, thank you for a most useful idea! *leaves*
Hunh?... Did I say something good?



Good thing this game releases before the time of episodic games



With the mission complete, the "code" option has been changed.

New Music: Manaphy Egg


It lists the number of days the egg is under your care, so you can tell if you can't get a friend with a mainline Pokemon games to transfer it into or too poor to get the game yourself

By the way, the music here is only played during this time. So most people won't get to hear it.



It says Sinnoh here, but I'm pretty sure we can transfer it to Johto (HGSS).

While we're at it, what happens if we try to do the misison again before the egg is transferred?

Music: Fall City


Hi, Professor! And hi, assistant lady! We came for a visit!
Ah, very good to see you both! Make yourselves at home!
Professor, what became of the Egg? Were there any offers from people in the Sinnoh region willing to raise the Egg?
Hush now, don't be so impatient. There's nothing to be gained from rushing things.
I never expected to be told I'm impatient by you, Professor.
Wahahaha! I've always wanted to say that! There's nothing to be concerned about over the Egg. I'm sure that we will be hearing from some kindhearted person before too long. Besides, right now my assistant is playing the part of Manaphy's mother. Whenever there is time, she sings the Egg a lullaby that she made up herself.
Mana Mana Manaphy. Dream, dream, and gently sleep. Mana Mana Manaphy. The darling princess of the sea.





And that's that! All the Pokemon Ranger games can give out a Manaphy, but since the sequels require NWC () this game is the only one where that's still possible now.

I'm still confused as to why that mission can only be played once, though. Is it because this is the only time we see Gordor after the credits?