Part 51: Power Spot Detectors–Access!

Update 52: Power Spot Detectors–Access!

The following part is NON-CANON . I ended up cutting it to make the narrative fit with what I was going for; I’ll be covering its context in the overall LP denouement later. But I can’t conscience cutting a plot-relevant battle out, even if it’s irrelevant to the plot, so, this guy.



The Darkest Day - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST
_{Yes, they do reuse the Darkest Day theme here.}











Farfetch’d was one of the first Pokémon to be only accessible through trading, which... Have I covered that yet? If nobody says I did, I’ll hit it up next post. Anyway, Sirfetch’d is what happens when you put Farfetch’d through a Anglophilia filter. It’s also Fighting-type, making it a perfect target for Acrobatics; it goes down a couple hits. His Klinklang only lasts a little bit longer against Bruce.



I try to get his Falinks to use this signature move here, but it refused; it just kept trying to hit Mr. Blobby with Megahorn. In retrospect that was probably a side effect of how AI type evaluation works: Ghost-types are immune to Fighting moves, and even though that wouldn’t matter for Falinks’s signature move, No Retreat (it raises all of its stats in exchange for preventing it from switching out), the AI looks at the type interactions and goes “nope”. Even though Megahorn is also weak against Mr. Blobby (Bug-type), it’s not Fighting, so it prioritized that. Anyway, it goes down.





Last up is Bronzong. I switch out Bruce here, anticipating him taking down this Steel-type in one Pyro Ball. Thing is? It has a move called Gyro Ball, which does more damage the higher the target’s Speed is compared to the user. As Bruce’s defining characteristic is his skyhigh Speed, I realize this might be an issue – so I have him use a move that won’t do much damage to see if I can tempt it into breaking it out. Unfortunately, I couldn’t; it just wouldn’t use a move with a type disadvantage against me. So I eventually went and Pyro Balled it anyway.



Who was that??? I guess we’ll have to find out later.

Sonia's Theme - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST



Hiya, Liz!

Elizabeth: Welcome back, Sonia.

Everything looks pretty much the same from when I was last in here. You haven’t personalized the space?

Why fix what isn’t broke?

Elizabeth: Wait, is that –

I am the Champion, yes.



I told you not to get weird about it, Liz.

Elizabeth: My apologies, I don’t intend to bother you anymore on the matter.

…

Come here for a moment, would you? There’s something I want you to have a look at.



Basically when there’s a high concentration of Galar particles, the readings spike... You see those lines? Those measure changes in ambient Galar particle radiation throughout the Region. They should be flat, but, well…

Those peaks and valleys don’t look THAT wild.

They shouldn’t be there at all. And even though they’ve changed over time, for the last couple months they’ve been trending upward.

But Ddraig Goch’s not been giving out anymore particles than he usually does when we visit MC headquarters.

And as far as I can tell, energy usage hasn’t been trending upward or anything. It’s a mystery, and a foreboding one. Oh! I need to show you something specific –



She hammers away at her phone here and shakes it frantically. It’s like how people in video games play video games.

There’s a serious build up underneath Turffield Stadium right now, as in, the last time I got readings the strong Pokémon started Dynamaxing. Can I ask you to swing by and let Milo know, maybe help him stand guard?

That’s what they’re paying me endorsements for. I’ll get right over there.

…

Turffield - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST



Sonia told me there was a buildup of Galar particles under the Stadium. Awful lot of banging in there. Did something happen?

I was actually in the middle of an exhibition match with Piers. Then this Dynamax Pokémon came charging in.

A Pokémon roars from within the Stadium.



Hey, Hop, what are you doing here?

A Pokémon Dynamaxed part way through a match I was watching. There was no way I could leave it alone. I had to help out. No idea why it happened, though.

Sonia says there’s a weird buildup in Galar radiation across the region like there was last year, but she doesn’t know the cause. I was SUPPOSED to warn you the ambient radiation around the Stadium was high enough for spontaneous Dynamaxing, but, well…

Look, the longer we wait, the more destruction it causes in there. Can I ask for your help beating it?



Welcome to the first of many Dynamax battles alongside Gym Leaders; for all the commotion around them, they are essentially slightly anemic Den battles. Tsareena here won’t even throw up any shields. It does take it down Piers’s Obstagoon before we put it to rest, but, well. Tragically, we don’t even get to catch it.



That could have been so much worse.

Oh, absolutely.



There wasn’t any Trainer anywhere! And the Pokémon seemed like it couldn’t even control the power itself...

Quite right... Normally, a Pokémon needs to respond to a Dynamax Band in order to Dynamax, but...



Bit of nasty business, that.

Dear Lord, what happened to your hair? I *oof*

_Gloria!

… Oh, oh shit. I apologize for being so rude .

No offense taken, you would not be the first to react that way.

Wait – ain’t you two in the House of Lords?

Well spotted! My name is Shieldbert, Baron Circhester.

And I am Sordward, Earl Spikemuth, his elder brother.

Only by 10 minutes, brother.

Enough to count, brother. And what exalted company we are in! It is a pleasure to see you again, Champion.

… Please don’t take this personally, but I don’t remember you.

I do not blame you, we only met briefly at the Unown Benefit Banquet last October.

And of course, Gym Leader Milo and Hop, brother of the previous Champion and semifinalist in his own right.

But you did not mention Piers, brother!

I was saving the best for last, brother. We are big fans.

VERY big fans.

Can I ask why you two didn’t evacuate?

Oh, we have Pokémon of our own and the training to use them.

Standard government policy for political figures, of course. Not that we do not care for them as our own, the sweet creatures.

But I believe we would simply get in the way if we stayed here any longer.

A very good point, brother. We wish you the best of luck.

It was a pleasure meeting all of you – for the second time for you, Gloria.

Until next time.

…

…

…

… They’re hiding something.

Probably?

Definitely.

I dunno, I thought they were rather nice. Extremely posh, but nice enough.

They’re the nobility. I ain’t exactly fallin’ over to kiss their feet.

You know I’m first cousins to the Laird of Freezington?

I’m pretty sure I’m related to them. Well, me and half of Spikemuth. Their grandfather… Well, he got around. Plus, now that the Commons’s spent nearly a year tearin’ itself apart over who gave Rose what tax breaks… They got too much power right now.

But they did have a point – I’m probably going to have to close the Stadium for the rest of the day while we carry out repairs.

…







I –



I was havin’ an exhibition match against Milo. You here about the Dynamaxin’?

Oh no, did a Pokémon actually Dynamax? I was hoping you could avoid that…

We beat it and it went back to normal. It’s still standin’ around inside if you wanna go check it out.



You always know what to say. Can I ask you three to head over there and do the same for Nessa and Kabu?

I called a skytaxi while you were snogging Piers.

Oh, lovely, thank you, thank you! I need to go do some tests!

… Gloria, why didn’t you ever tell me you were a member of the nobility?

You know I don’t like talking about my extended family.

Oh, right.

Plus, Lairds aren’t – I mean… Okay, look. Back before Unification…

…

Gym Lobby - Pokémon Sword and Shield OST

Your visits to Hulbury and Motostoke are nearly identical as scene structure goes. First, you fly in and walk to the Stadium…





… Possibly learning that the devs didn’t update NPC dialogue after the Championship as you go...



… Or even that you can defy gravity. The bike is stationary in that shot. Look at its position on the steps! This goes beyond the stupidity of riding a bike down steep flights of stairs to straight-up witchcraft. Then, you arrive at the Stadium and meet with the Gym Leaders…





… Who then accompany you into the fight…





… Only for you to realize you forgot to switch in the correct Pokémon after the fight after it’s already underway. Once you beat the tar out of them…





… You go back to the lobby and get congratulated by the leader in question.





Gloria, we have a problem.

Uh oh.

These two posh gentlemen just showed up at my door. They were polite at first, but they started demanding data I can’t just hand over, and when would comply, they started threatening me. Elizabeth’s stalling them and they don’t seem violent, but I could REALLY use you lot around just in case.

We’ll be along shortly, don’t you worry.

Come quickly!

… Fuckin’ called it.


BONUS SCENE

You know how I’ve been basically rewriting the game? Here’s my favorite screenshot that didn’t make it into the update: