Part 6: Rock Falls, Everyone Lives

New Music: Krokka Tunnel


Let us make haste!

An easy solo mission is a great way to build up confidence. So things being "rather too easy" to start off is not a bad thing!



Statue In memory of Dugtrio, a loyal companion and coworker in the long and difficult tunnel project.

In the old days, you used to be able to see Dugtrio around these parts. But nowadays--I guess it's because there're more people about--they've moved deeper into the tunnel.

The left path leads to the wrong end of the shortcut, so we're forced to go right.



Soon after, we meet another fork. We'll go down first.
This game is so charming. I adore the train of followers tagging behind Circe like the world's cutest impromptu parade.





Well? Aren't you going to ask me if I caught anything? The only time no one seems to ask me is when the catching's great!

For all the good thing Pokemon Ranger does, it sadly follows the Reborn tradition of putting the fish just out of reach
Why does this gentleman need 5 or more Magikarp? They're basically inedible, so raising that many Gyarados seems impractical.
He can sell them in Reborn or whatever Rejuvenation's region is for



Going up from the earlier fork, we get to yet another fork. We haven't met any Pokemon with Cut yet, so we can't cut it.
Wait, we use Cut on the fence? We don't burn a wooden fence?




There's also a Rock Smash rock, but we haven't met any pokemon with crush yet.



*Hastings runs off towards the Dugtrio*



*Dugtrio flees*

*To Circe* That Dugtrio... It fled at the sight of me! How very rude of that Dugtrio!

*The tunnel shakes*



Welp.

Hello, Circe! Can you hear me?! It was a very close call indeed, but I managed to avoid injury! However, I'll need you to come get me! There should be another passageway near you that will bring you to me. I shall be waiting patiently!



We're not getting through these anytime soon.

Music: Wild Pokemon Capture


Instead, we'll get the Paras that just appeared. It only has this cutting attack.

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 4
Possible EXP: 13/16/19/24

Paras here is our first example of how this game handles dual typing. Usually one is their Group and the other is their Assist. It's kinda hard to remember which is which.
I say usually because that's not always the case, like with the Combusken earlier.

Music: Krokka Tunnel


We can go back to the Dugtrio statue and cut the sign, but it'll just get mysteriously replaced.

Oh, and if you're wondering, we can't go back to Lyra Forest. The Pokemon behind the bushes will remain a mystery for now.
On the one hand... but on the other, <>



Beyond the fence, there's even more forks. This place would be confusing if we're not being railroaded.



Magnemite's attack is like Pichu's but has a wider range.



Required Loops: 2
Possible EXP: 4

Magnemite is essentially a harder-to-catch Pichu.
Does it at least charge the Styler more as compensation for being harder to catch?
Nope! All Pokemon with the same number of Recharge icon heals the same amount. So this is worse than Pichu in every way.



Up ahead there are two Poliwags.



Correction: there were two Poliwags. The left one is in the middle of jumping into the water. We manage to get close to the right one, though.



Poliwag moves kinda fast, so it can be hard to capture it.



Required Loops: 4
Possible EXP: 20/23/26/30



Here's the release screen. It appears when you have more than the allowed Friend Pokemon.

Savor this appearance, because I'm most likely not going to show it again.

Music: Trouble


That Poliwag room is the last one in our detour, but that music worries me



W-what is it?! Who are you?!
(Upper) Hahahah! Hello, gramps! The esteemed Prof. Hastings, the chief of technology of the Ranger Union, I presume? Well, we're strangers of danger! And we mess with Rangers! That makes us the Go-Rock Squad!

Go-Rock Squad? That is a stupid name for an evil team. I love it
Getting serious Team Skull vibes from these two.

(Upper) So sorry, gramps, but we're here to relieve you of your important package.



(Lower) Heheheh! Thanks so much for your cooperation! One Super Styler received, thank you so kindly. That's all the time we have today! Adios, senior!



*Notices Circe* Oh, Circe! We have a crisis on our hands! My Super Styler -- the fruit of all my studies--was taken by some ruffians who called themselves the Go-Rock Squad!

I guess you can say that Circe didn't actually hear what happened earlier and so didn't think to chase the grunts. It's funnier to think that she's taken aback by the name, though.

If only I were 20 years younger, I could have twisted, crumpled, and tossed such dregs of society aside... Come, we must give chase!

Not too hard. They're literally just 5 steps to the right.

New Music: Go-Rock Squad!


(Upper) Hahahah! You can stay cooped up down here courtesy of us!
(Lower) Heheheh! I'm the bad guy! Let's see what happens when I press this button on this remote control! Are you ready for this? Click!







(Lower) Like, is this... A screwup?
(Upper) Well, good going! Yeah, it's a screw up, all right! How are we supposed to slow them down now, you incompetent fool!




(Lower) What're you going on about? You're the one that set the trap! All I had to do was press the button! It's not me who decided where the rocks should fall!
(Upper) There's something to be said for that! But that's beside the point now! Let's hightail it!

Music: Krokka Tunnel


*When talked to* Hurry, hurry, hurry! This is no time to be dawdling! The Super Styler must be recovered from the Go-Rock Squad!



They were saying stuff like "hahahah" and "heheheh."

There's a save point. If you're playing along, you should use it. I'm sure we all know what this means.

DoubleNegative, are you excited to Plusle in action against our first boss?
Heck yeah! We're gonna paralyze it and then it won't be able to move and this is gonna be awesome.

Music: Lyra Forest


I don't know why there's two signs saying the same thing just a few feets from each other.

Video: Rhydon
Music: Tension




Circe... Is your Styler's energy sufficiently charged? Try using a Poke Assist like I taught you earlier to capture that Rhydon. Circe, if you put your feelings into making the capture, Rhydon should calm down.
*When talked to* Do you recall how to use a Poke Assist? If you get help from a Bellsprout, use its Grass Poke Assist to impede the target. While the target is caught in the sprung-up grass, capture it.





Music: Wild Pokemon Capture


There you have it. Plusle in action against our first boss
...welp.



Anyway, since I have Bellsprout, I can use the useful Poke Assist. Water from Mudkip or Poliwag works too, but I don't get as many chance to show off Grass.
It's a pity we don't have any Totodile handy
That GIF is adorable



With the grass, Rhydon can't move or attack. Which is great because it needs 8 loops.

Music: Capture Complete


Rhydon gives a lot more EXP than any Pokemon so far, which is how we got our level up



Required Loops: 8
Possible EXP: 45/51/57/65

Before we move on with the story, let's look at Rhydon's attacks.



There's the attack shown in the cutscene.



There's also a charging attack. It doesn't charge at a straight line, though, so this attack is the more dangerous of the two.

On a side note, that Rhydon looks so adorable



Rhydon will also use this attack when it spots us in the field. Since our styler isn't out in the field, we don't take damage from this.
You say that, but Circe can't be feeling too great after being tackled by 265lb/120kg solid Rock/Ground type.

Music: Lyra Forest
The Rhydon appears to have calmed down enough. Release it to wherever it came from.

Why? We could've used it to destroy the rockfall!
But...





Whew... We've been beset by trouble... That little disturbance cost us time. We've completely lost sigh of those scoundrels. Fine, let us return to Fall City and consider our options.



This is no time for inside jokes. Let us make way posthaste, Circe!
*When talked to* Circe, the Fall City Ranger Base is so close!



Like I said, we have to release every Pokemon after every mission

Music: Fall City


We're here. Now where's the Ranger Base?



...Oh.

Circe, well done! Your mission has been accomplished! ...Hm? You don't appear very happy. Let me guess--you're upset that I was mugged for the Super Styler? Now listen, Circe. Was not your mission to deliver me to this location safely? Now examine me, if you will. Do you see a single scratch upon my person? I think not. And here we are at the mission's destination--the Ranger Base. In other words, you've accomplished the mission objectives impeccably!

Music: Mission Clear!


I like Hastings' logic.



Welcome back, Professor! How was Spenser?
Thank you, Joel. Spenser is fine, but things did not go well for me, I'm afraid... It's quite humiliating, to say the least... You see, my Super Styler... (Whisper, whisper...)
W-what did you say? The Super Styler is gone?! We should discuss this in the Ranger Base. Let's hurry there.

*Everyone goes inside*

We are so gonna get lectured for this screw-up...