Part 19: Stealth and Escort and Chases, Oh My!

Music: Deep Lyra Forest


The next area is an actual maze. With stealth. It's still not actually that bad, though.



The stealth part comes from Weepinbell, who will try to swallow us if they see us. We can capture them by approaching them from behind.





Weepinbell is unremarkable during capture, though.



Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 42/46/50/56



Captured Weepinbell will become harmless until we release them and leave the area (which causes them to respawn), so we can reduce the stealth required this way.
Lemme guess... if Circe gets swallowed, the area resets and all the Weepinbell return?
You'll see later. On another note, that tree is another Ninjask tree.



That Weepinbell was at a down/left fork, so we go down here.



Both Swellow and its gust moves very fast. That would be a problem if we don't have Plusle


Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 42/47/52/59



The only thing at the end of this path are a Beedrill tree and Pikachu.





Required Loops: 2
Possible EXP: 9

Less loops than Magneton but restores more same health? Looks like we found a better battery




Going the other path, we see this sign that would've been useful if it were placed before.



This sign is actually at another fork, this time a left/up one. The upper path has our last Ninjask tree and a Swellow. In other words: nothing interesting.

The left path, on the other hand, has another fork! And it's a three-way one. The upper one also has nothing interesting.



The path downwards has a bush (which we can't do anything about because for some reason Ninjask can't Cut) and a Weepinbell (which is actually our last one).

Honestly, it's not too hard not to get caught. Circe moves faster than them, and they have no peripheral vision.



That's not to say that this stealth is good. I'm just saying that it's not that bad.
At least the area doesn't reset. It still doesn't excuse a stealth section in a game that wasn't made with it in mind, however.



Basically, to get through the maze we just have to go left at every fork.
The opposite of the usual "just keep making rights" advice!

New Music: Dusk Factory


...Mutter... ...All Hastings's fault... ...Grumble... ...Get their comeuppance...just watch me... ...Mutter...



Hm... I see. You're a Ranger from Ringtown. It took you long enough to get here. Of course, I suppose I expect far too much of a Union Ranger. Let me get a closer look at your face... Hah! A mere child! The union sent a pip-squeak for me! Classic, I say! Classic!



Ah, but, child, this is no fault of yours. For it is I, Gordor, who lost his bearings in this forest and called for help. Now, return me the courtesy of telling me your name. ...I see. Circe it is. Now, guide me out of the forest.

He sure is...something.
Totally the leader of the Go-Rocks.

Music: Deep Lyra Forest


The mission description spoils his appearance, which is why I didn't show it.



And while we're at it, this is the assist we just unlocked. It's amazing when dealing with multiple Pokemon.



Since the Ringtown Rangers can't be bothered to make a ladder, we have to go even deeper.

Music: Wild Pokemon Capture


Unlike Cyndaquil, Quilava doesn't attack consecutively. Its fire are still lit just to fuck with us.

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 36/42/48/54/60/66

Music: Dusk Factory


Hm. Not too shabby. From what I understand, that device--Styler, was it?--is not something that just anyone can use. For a capture to succeed, the Ranger using the Styler must have "the spirit of justice," was it?



But--Circe, was it?--what exactly is "the spirit of justice"? Or, indeed, what is justice? Who is to say what is considered justice now will be the justice of tomorrow?

Well, Spirit of Justice is an Ace Attorney game with an amazing second case and a great third. Mediocre DLC, though

Justice, by the way, is the name of the main character in that game. And as far as I know, he never changed his name. That should answer your questions.

...(Snicker...) Perhaps that was too difficult for a child like you to grasp.

Circe just doesn't know because 3DS hasn't existed yet
Gordor, was it? Shut, was it? Up, was it? Please, was it?



Gordor's monologue happens before we release the Pokemon for whatever reason.

There's still only one way to go, so off we go.



Grrr... You Murkrow! How dare you heckle me!



You, you, you...
Useless!
Contrary!
Meaningless!
Crass!
Bombastic!
Buffoon of a Murkrow!



It appears that "crass" got to that insolent bird. That whole exchange has given me heartburn. Get me out of this confounded forest immediately!

Well, that sure is...something.
Holy shit, this dude has problems.





Hoh! Impressive. Perhaps your talents are somewhat wasted escorting this old man!



Gordor's Laugh: 3

Music: Deep Lyra Forest


Oh joy, an area that manages to be worse than the stealth section.



Beedrill are basically Corphish 2.0. Both are faster than Circe and there's not much room to wiggle around them.
I'm not sure which is worse, that someone playtested this and decided that, yes, a maze stealth escort quest followed by unavoidable annoying battles that waste resources was good design, or that the developers ignored their testers who complained about it. No part of this is excusable.
Between this and the sewer mission, which one would you think is worse?
Sewers are probably worse because they have ice physics.



It's pretty much impossible to avoid an encounter here, which is why I didn't bother using Phanphy to tackle their trees earlier.



This isn't as useful as the last few, but still neat nonetheless



Required Loops: 3
Possible EXP: 32/36/40/46

...I could've used this to crush the rock in the Jigglypuff area, couldn't I?



There are three trees here. The middle one has a Meowth for whatever reason. Is this supposed to be a "cat stuck in a tree" joke? (Notice how the capture won't initiate when we're Target Clearing.)

There are four Beerill here. Six if you count the ones in the trees. You'll get two if you're lucky. Thankfully, this is the only area with free-roaming Beedrill.
Please tell me the game stops being this spiteful at some point.
At some point, sure. Does it count if that point is right at the end of the game?



...I could've captured Meowth to cut this bush, couldn't I?

Oh, by the way, there's Hoppip here. I always forgot Hoppip exists for some reason.



Required Loops: 4
Possible EXP: 10/16/22/28/34/40

Hoppip is Jigglypuff but less extra EXP. And less dickish.

At this point I remembered to talk to Gordor.

Pick up the pace.
Pay me no mind. Pick up the pace.
If you have the time to chitchat, pick up the pace!

Such a lovely guy
Lovely's certainly one word for it.