Part 22: The Jungle Relic Challenges

Music: Mission Start!


New Music: Jungle Relic
Who would've guessed there'd be something like this? I mean, under the ground and in the jungle?
*When talked to* This place, though... You can feel history here.
*When talked to* It feels as if time has stopped here...
*When talked to* If I was alone, I might get too creeped out to stick around.

I sure wouldn't. Let's see what we have here...
Awww yeah. I love underground jungle ruins and caverns. It's an aesthetic that almost never pops up, though.



If only we can bring Primeape here, we could've gone through here. The doors leads to the challenges, but we'll explore this area first.



There's another set door and boulder above the previous one. The door has a different symbol, though.



There's essentially two halves of this area connected by this bridge.

What is that thing? It looks like a statue...



It's the legendary Pokemon. They say one is born every time a new volcano appears. I don't know of a more noble-looking Pokemon.

Seems like Lunick is reciting Entei's Pokedex entry from Silver or FireRed.

But this is strange... Why would there be a statue of an Entei here? Cameron never said anything about a statue like this, did he?

It's an old abandoned jungle ruin. Maybe they worshipped Entei?

Statue It's a statue of an Entei. It appears ready to give its mighty mane a shake and roar at the skies.

Nothing we can do with it right now, so let's move on.



(Right) I'm so sorry. We're conducting a research program. It's a very important study. I can't let you in there while we're conducting our important study. ...What are we studying? Um... This researcher will be able to answer that question better than me.
(Left) W-what? Don't foist this on me! Uh... We're studying our topic very intently, and it's very important, and, uh, you're just not allowed in there. We'll be finished before too long, so if you could come back then... Actually, please be sure to come back then.
(Right) *When talked to* I'm so sorry. No one's permitted to enter now.
(Left) *When talked to* We'll be finished before too long, so please be sure to come back then.

Yep. They're totally legitimate scientists who perfectly knows what they're doing and are definitely not related to Go-Rock Squad.
At least they aren't a "One always tells the truth, the other always lies" puzzle. I hope.
I'm pretty sure that kind of puzzles are impossible with only 2 people.



If we brought Treecko or Grovyle, we could've cut this. But apparently this is considered a different environment to the jungle. Unlike Lyra Forest with Krokka Tunnel...
Makes sense. They didn't want you "cheating" in the challenges by bringing in outside help. Making it a new environment means they'll know at all times what you have access to.



And here's the door to the last challenge, along with the second save point (the first was just by the entrance). The other path here isn't blocked, but it just leads to a dead end. You might notice that there's no wild Pokemon we can capture here, so we'll have to make do with Plusle.



Looks like we have Challenges of Water, Earth, and Wind with the Challenge of Fire blocked off. We'll do it from the easiest to hardest, which means we'll start from the one right here.
It had to be Earth, Water, and Wind huh? It couldn't have been Earth, Wind, and Fire?

Video: The Challenge of Wind (Flygon)




"The Challenge of Wind" From four directions do strong winds blow. At times oppose them, at times accept them, and your path you shall find. Awaiting your arrival shall be the wrath of one that represents wind. By your hand you must becalm the fury that drives the savage beast. Whence the beast is so calmed, the seal of stone shall be no more, bringing conclusion upon the challenge of wind. In the chambers of trial there shall be no record saved, for that in itself a challenge is posed. ...That's what the tablet says.
*To Circe* Did you sort of get that? It might be better if you read it yourself, Circe.

By "no records saved", the game means that even quicksaving is disabled inside these rooms, so no cheating by making backups of them. It doesn't prevent savestates, though I won't be using them anyway.



Despite what it seems, this challenge is not a maze, though. Both paths have no forks and both leads to the exit. The left path is shorter but narrower and vice versa for the right.



There's also the wind to test our movement skills, but it's not a big problem. It's easier than the ice physics from the sewers, actually.
So far this doesn't seem too bad. And judging by the video, it doesn't even seem too hard to stay on the path?
No, this one isn't hard at all. Remember that I'm doing this from the easiest.



I feel for Circe here. Having long hair in especially windy areas sucks.
At the end of each challenge, we're going to face a boss. Our boss this time is...



...Flygon. You know, the Ground/Dragon Pokemon? A Flying Pokemon would've been more fitting. Such as, for example, Salamence.

Music: Wild Boss Pokemon Encounter


Just like the trials, the bosses also tests an aspect of our skill. In this case, it's pattern recognition.



Flygon files around very quickly. And, unlike Ninjask, it needs more than 1 loop. Plusle won't help because of its type. This means there's no chance of looping it during this time.



This means that the only safe time to loop is during its attack. It shoots out tornadoes 2-4 times consecutively, so the time between those shots are when we should loop.

Additionally, if we don't keep our line short, there's a bigger chance of Flygon flying into it, so this capture also tests that technique.
That... doesn't sound like a good test.



Even with all that, Flygon is the second easiest Pokemon we'll face here.

Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 350/356/362/368/374/380

Though the rewards are pretty good!



*The pedestal fades*

When you captured the Flygon, the stone seal disappeared! We've cleared the first challenge!





Goodbye, level 3 Gust

Music: Jungle Relic


Up next, The Challenge of Water.

Video: The Challenge of Water (2 Kingdra)




"The Challenge of Water" The wrathful streams of water-dragons you must elude lest you lose your way. What awaits are the familiars of water whose angry spirits seek serenity at your hands. Whence they are so calmed, the seal of stone shall be no more, bringing conclusion upon the challenge of water. In the chambers of trial there shall be no record saved, for that in itself a challenge is posed. ...That's what the tablet says.
*To Circe* It sounds pretty mysterious. Why don't you read it for yourself, Circe?

The reason this challenge is potentially much faster than the last one, but the main difficulty here is...



...seeing the evolved fish, again out of our reach



Oh, and those evolved fish shoots waterballs that can knock us off the platform.



Circe, focus!

This brings us back to the stairs at the room with the tablet. Which means that we have to start over the challenge every time we fall. This applies to all of them, but Lunick will only say this the first time.
Owww... if you break your tailbone, that's the sort of injury that can't easily be mended! Poor Lunick.



Basically, this challenge tests our projectile-dodging skill (and patience).
A timing challenge doesn't seem too bad, either.
On an emulator? It's not too hard. On an actual DS with its small screen and no savestates? This can take a while.



And our boss this time is...



Music: Wild Pokemon Capture


Yes, 2 Kingdra. As you might've guessed, this tests our ability to deal with multiple Pokemon at once.



This is the first time we see it, but some Water Pokemon can dive. It's pretty much just like Ground Pokemon's dig, right down to not being able to be captured during it.

This is a big reason Marine Challenge sucks, by the way. But we'll talk more when we get to it.



Hydro Pump is Kingdra's only attack. It's very basic.

You might remember that Kingdra is a Water/Dragon Pokemon, so there's a 50-50 chance of Plusle actually being useful.
This doesn't sound too bad so far. Basic attacks, two pokemon... sounds like some challenges we've already faced and conquered.
It's less hectic than the Murkrow + 4 Spinarak, that's for sure.



Jackpot!



...fuck.



I ended up doing this regular way. When one of the Kingdra is underwater, the other is ripe for capture. They only require 6 loops each, so it should be done quick.



I even manage to get maximum EXP for the second one






Music: Capture Complete


Required Loops: 6
Possible EXP: 160/166/172/178/184/190



*The pedestal fades*

When you captured the Kingdra, the stone seal disappeared! We've cleared the second challenge!





Goodbye, level 3 Soak



I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. These challenges so far if anything sound like "final exam" boss fights. So now I'm curious about what makes this so onerous.