Part 30: An Actual Escort Mission :sigh:

Music: Ranger Base


In the place of a Leader, I hereby certify you, Circe, as Ranger Rank 8!

Music: Rank Up!


That took a longer time to achieve than our previous ranks.
Yay! I still love how ridiculously over the top these rank up messages are.
With this rank, we unlocked Ice assist, which is our last unlockable assist

Music: Ranger Base


Ah, Joel, welcome back! How was Wintown? I don't seem to see Spenser?
We've gotten reliable intelligence. The Go-Rock Squad's hideout seems to be located somewhere in the Sekra Range. Spenser has remained in Wintown to keep gathering intelligence. I returned for the time being to analyze our findings so far.
The Go-Rock Squad's hideout is located near Wintown? We should send Spenser support in the form of another Ranger. Who will be good for the task?
How about Circe? Circe has been mentored by Spenser and has the experience.
I think that would be the best and most logical choice myself.

It's great to see how everyone acknowledges our rank
We're just that good!



Unfortunately, Dragonite follow the main games' Fly rules

I remember Cameron mentioning something interesting about an underwater tunnel in the Safra Sea. According to him, the tunnel will take you from Summerland close to Wintown in very little time. Perhaps we should be pumping Cameron for details.
I see... That could be a solution.
*To Circe* Circe, you've heard. Take the Dragonite Bus from upstairs to see Cameron in Summerland. Speak to Cameron for information on the underwater tunnel. No time to waste! Chop, chop!

As usual, it's time for a round of NPC talk.
Wait, we gotta take an underwater tunnel from summer to winter? We can't just walk through the forest to the north-ish?



Take the Dragonite Bus from upstairs. Chop, chop!

We could've gone to Summerland this way with the help of Lapras!



Did you know the Ranger Leader in Wintown is a woman? Her name is Elita.

Trying very hard to not make a "battle angel" joke. Wait, fuck...



There's nothing more to do here, so let's just go.

All right, Dragonite! Off you go to Summerland. Astonish us with your speed!

*Flying ensues*

Music: Summerland


It's true that the underwater tunnel in the Safra Sea is a shortcut from here to Wintown.The tunnel ends close to a cavern that will put you right by Wintown. There's just one problem. It's difficult to swim there. Actually, it's impossible! What should we do?

*Cameron thinks for a bit*

Hey, I know! Circe, didn't I give you something before that might work? You know, that heap of scrap metal! ...No, wait. That'd be the submersible Aquamole! Our mechanic's been banging away on it ever since, so maybe it's seaworthy now.

...So we are going to use the deathtrap submarine? How did you guys even manage to go there in the first place if the only route is underwater? Did you just borrow the Dive HM?
They may have gone the Insurgence route and used SCUBA gear. Or, yeah, a Dive HM. Or just someone had a Wailord.
Wailord don't exist in Fiore...



Leader, Leader, there's something I need.
You got an itch on your back that you can't scratch?
No! It's nothing like that! See, I was getting some Taillow to deliver some submarine parts... They started racing, and it seems as if they dropped as et of parts in the jungle somewhere. They're key parts, too. Can I get you to help me find them?

Seems like insurance doesn't exist in this universe.

Awesome, Circe! Sounds like your ship's come in!



Please don't make us do this. Shouldn't there be another, saner path?

It's revealed later that there's another route through Krokka Tunnel, which would've been much faster. However, that route will only be available to us on postgame.
I fuckin' knew it!

Huh? You don't need to go to Wintown after all? That's not true, is it?





OK, that's settled, then! Circe, you must know the Olive Jungle like the back of your hand by now. I can't consider this a real mission, but I expect you'll do your best like always.
Thanks, this'll be a great help.



*When talked to* I'm counting on your help to find those missing parts.

Well, if we look at the bright side, the mechanic is actually going to be joining us unlike Leilani or Percy. This isn't actually a good thing and I wish he'd just stay at the entrance

Music: Ranger Base


I think our mechanic doesn't like the jungle as much as me.

Do you even like the jungle? I'm not getting that impression from our time together.



I used to do nothing but just hang out every day. That is, until Cameron invited me to join his Ranger Base.

...So Cameron is just hiring random guys? No wonder they're so incompetent
Let's be honest, Cameron just uses the Summerland ranger base as a place to play cards and drink beer soda with his buds.
Yeah, I can definitely imagine him doing that

Music: Summerland


...I'd say Wailmer. You don't agree? I'll beg to differ, then.



Don't they have any emergency news broadcasts or anything here?
When I'm with my husband, it feels as if we're still back in the busy city... Doesn't he understand we're at a vacation resort?
What's the Go-Rock Squad that everyone keeps talking about? That name is kind of cool, but it sounds kind of silly, too.



It almost made me fall on the ground!



Not just odd, embarrassing even.

Tell that to the mechanic beside Circe
If Summerland gets hit by a sudden flash freeze, then we'll be the ones who look smart!



Cameron came running right then and took me and my Phanphy to a safe place.



It's you, isn't it? The brave Ranger that took on the four challenges? I never expected to see someone so young with so much spine and guts before my own eyes! It pays to lead a long life! Hahaha!

I really hope he doesn't know that the fourth challenge is what caused the earthquake and possibly an apocalypse



Cameron told me that two brave Rangers saved the Jungle Relic. I can understand you being on vacation, but you should try to be a Ranger like them.

Poor Aria doesn't even get any credit
Aria, nothing. Poor Circe doesn't get any credit here.







...What the fuck are you doing here.

As you can well see, I'm what I expect you'd call an explorer. I've heard that deep inside the Jungle Relic, there are places where lava boils over in fiery pools. When I hear something like that, my blood as an explorer boils over in fiery excitement!
Do you remember that Snorlax that was in the jungle? I saw it down at the harbor earlier. It was looking longingly toward the north, as if it were being nostalgic. I wonder if it's still there?

You actually saw an awake Snorlax?!



Just thinking about it makes my teeth chatter! Brrr! Ch-ch-chatter!

Would you say that Wintown is perpendicularly colder than Summerland?
Fuck. There's no reading that is charitable to either Wintown or Summerland. The "best" reading has Summerland be at 90f (32.2c) and Wintown at 0f (-17.8c). Both are way too far to the extremes!
30ish Celcius is the temperature in tropical areas for pretty much the whole year, so that sounds about right. -18 is more appropriate for, say, Snowpoint City though

Music: Mission Start!


Music: Olive Jungle
The set of parts was dropped way in the west end of the jungle. I don't know my way around the jungle. I'll just follow you, OK?

*A Wurmple jumps out*



...Huh? B-b-b-bug! Aiyaaaah! I'm out of here!

*The mechanic runs behind Circe*

Gasp...gasp...gasp...gasp... ...I forgot to mention it, but I just can't stand Bug-group Pokemon.



I'm not kidding! I really will split and run!
*When talked to* The parts were dropped in the west end of the jungle. Also--and I'm begging you--please don't touch any Bug-group Pokemon.


OH FUCK ME
Oh boy. This... this is not a good look. I can just feel the frustration coming off this update and your text.



...Speaking of not noticing, it's the same with Pokemon. They don't notice people if they can't see them. If you don't want to be noticed by Pokemon, you should go stealthily and avoid catching their eye. OK, I'm going to go back to vacantly staring at this cliff. Bye now!

Treecko isn't a bug type, so it's safe.
It's an escort mission with forced stealth instant fail segments. Why. W. H. Y.



Wurmple is still as slow as actual slime and sloths, so even 4 of them aren't that bad.



Electrike is also not a bug type, so it's also safe. Just like the sailor earlier said, the Snorlax had moved away. Obviously, the area that were blocked by it is where we need to go.



Beautifly doesn't aggro us, and it usually flies in out-of-bounds area, so they're not that bad.



Venonat is fast, but it's in a corner so we don't have to go near it.

...You know, I'm starting to think that this escort nonmission isn't actually that bad after all!
Just waiting for the shoe to drop. Aaaaany minute now...






And there it is. He sees one and he panics. I'm sure this won't be tedious as fuck at all.