Previously on Pokémon FireRed:
Chapter 20: Was Always Kinda Partial to Roy Rogers, Actually
All right, I think the team has levelled enough to beat that guard into submission and try to infiltrate the Silph building. But first, let me see what the mood is in here.
That is a very good point. I know the cops are useless, but if the Pokémon League is the best of the best, why can't they rout these bozos?
Well, it is a mega-corporation, so I don't know how much better they are if at all.
No, there are probably innocent workers in there that deserve better.
What is this?
"zzz......dropped card key.....zzzz.......floor five.....check plants....zzzzz......."
And sleep-talking! This part will be easier than I thought.
Its fanciness is matched by its eerie emptiness.
That tells me how they got in and nobody sent anything out. This is one hell of a virus.
Okay, so...plan of attack.
I need to scour this entire building, bottom to top, wiping out every creep on every floor so nobody gets the drop on me from an unknown room.
To that end, I will likely need the Card Key to make sure I can open every door.
That means I need to take this elevator up to the 5th floor, sneak around undetected until I find the key, find some way to escape back here, then go up floor by floor, taking out mooks and maybe rescuing any hostages along the way.
What the flying fickle finger of fate?!?
Ooooh I don't like that....let's not do that again...
Except I have to to get back. I just hope the sound doesn't alert...
Phew, that was close.
Hey, Indy, could you open this vent for us to get back down?
Now I know what a TV dinner feels like....
Okay, time to shake things up...
Taking you guys out for good!
That you did.
Not if I have anything to say about it.
Aren't you a hostage? I'm trying to rescue you!
Don't you sully my Beedrill's name!
W...why would you do that? Why would ANYONE do that?!
You've been in this cube farm too long....
Yeah, it feels weird and I'm going to avoid them as much as possible.
No, it's okay. I'm here to rescue you!
Well I would, but Raiden my Raichu already knows it.
I know. That's why I have it.
Okay, just head out through there and...hey, why are you taking out Pokéballs?
.......you ATTACKED me....
"Not by myself..."
No, YOU guys are the mess. We're the cleanup crew.
You say that as if I haven't already found it.
Lay low, get out if you can.
I'm the fly in the ointment. The mankey in the wrench. The pain in the ass.
Good. I want him to know. I want him to know what I know. I want him to know I want him to know.
A Fighting Type is the perfect test subject for your new wings, Axel!
He's about to be very disappointed.
And my Pokémon are my best friends.
Still surprised I have one?
What do you think I'M doing, ordering a pizza?!
For what, exactly? You've done nothing respectible.
Oh I didn't singe your Hypno that bad.
What has that got to do with anything?!
Ooh, very interesting!
I hope I don't have any of those...
That was a prize in the Game Corner...
There shouldn't be any renaissance fair jugglers here either. Yet here we are.
That's okay. Gotta clear out the rabble first.
Only I can drive somebody that crazy apparently.
Yeah well you didn't study your surroundings when I snuck past you earlier GOTTEM!
I can see tech like that being easily misused...I hate losing Pokémon to breaking out of balls, but if it's too easy it's hard to make that connecton.
Damn you, Team Rocket, for making me actually care about the fate of a company head. I feel so dirty.
But you didn't hear me when I snuck by you earlier twice HA GOTTEM AGAIN!
Indy, you beautiful boulder you!
Now I have a Golem. Ho ho ho...
[[Nilbog Notes:
Golem
#076
Rock/Ground
Evolves from Graveler when traded
"Its boulder-like body is extremely hard. It can easily withstand dynamite blasts without damage"
So I had mentioned before two things regarding this Pokémon. #1 is that I have been playing a slightly modified version of the game that allowed trade evolutions to evolve at level-up, and #2 is that I've always really dug Golem but never liked Geodude and Graveler enough to raise one before.
On point #1, I've dance around trade evolutions before, but I both understand why they exist and also feels they were always annoying and are now outdated.
On point #2, Golem feels like a victim of Gen 1 weirdness where a lot of Pokémon were switched around in beta and certain evolution lines mashed together and cut apart. Because I can see Geodud evolving into either Graveler OR Golem, but I don't see how Golem could come from Graveler. On this plus side, his little snek head makes me smile.
Finally, a point I feel I must continue to make. Golem is named after a mythological creature of Jewish legend, a living construct built for protection. The Golem has been adapted into many different fantasy settings, and is a popular type of creature in fantasy games. The word Golem is pronounced "Go, Lem!", as if you were trying to get the frontman of Motorhead to leave your house. And it is PROFOUNDLY IRRITATING to me when some people - especially people making movies and video games - insist on pronouncing it "Gollum". There is a huge difference between an animated clay* statue and an emaciated ring-addicted river hobbit. And no I WILL not let it go.
(*As adapted into different fantasy settings, a golem can be made of any previously inanimate material. In fact, one of my favorite modern updates is the idea that Frankenstien's Monster can be considered a "flesh golem")]]
You guys have literally never scared me.
One down, three to go I guess.
It's a stressful situation. Cut him some slack.
I'm stopping them easily, so why hasn't anyone else?
I...never joined Team Rocket?
You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.
I think raiding these storerooms makes me feel better about saving corporate.
Correlation does not equal causation and you are not the center of the universe.
Normally I'm sympathetic to workers rebelling against corporate, but inviting organized crime to terrorize the building ain't it, my guy.
Raiden didn't even eat any burritos today.
You think I have no method in causing you madness?
I knew that thing was a bad idea...
You must think I'm stupid.
I am an EXCEPTIONAL trainer.
Yeah yeah yeah, two down two to go.
You guys just don't get it, do you? I'm on a roaring rampage of revenge here.
That's what I thought.
Sure, bring everyone down. We'll have a real party.
I'm working on us not finding out.
Well, that was fast.
BrothER. Three down, one to go.
All things being equal, I'd rather be in Celadon.
Corporations are bad things. Corporations in the hands of a megalomaniac mob boss is worse.
You all say that like it's supposed to mean something.
*buzz* Sorry, wrong guess. Would you like to try for Double Jeopardy where the score can REALLY change?
Thanks, you don't know how much I need it.
I won't if I can help it.
Because I treat them with love and respect.
Doesn't matter what age you are, man.
Hmm, this long hallway to a dead end and a warp pad feels significant. Let's put a pin in that.
I should have Drake Poison YOU for that joke...
It's going to be okay, I promise.
That's not how this works.
So I don't have many mire of you to go through, good.
No, I'm a walk-in referral.
Hmm, the door must be on the other side...
Welp, it looks like I won't be able to avoid those teleporter pads. And you know what, I think I know just the one to try first: The one hidden away near the lady with the beds...
The third floor? No, it couldn't be that easy....
Cesario?! Oh man, for once, I'm actually happy to see you. Look, these Team Rocket goons have hijacked the building, I've gotten through most of them, but I think together we can really...
Wait, you knew? What have you been doing?!
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HSTAGE SITUATION, YOU JACKASS! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR -
Ugh, Indy, crush it with rocks.
Hmm, my supers keep getting less effective...
Cheater! Well, let's see you try that two turns in a row.
Baku, remember, you can't out-psychic it. You need to toss it into shadow!
One more time. This is SERIOUS. There are HOSTAGES. Can you get your head out of your flat lack of rear end long enough to actually help me?!
GET BACK HERE YOU...YOU........
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem...
You're very welcome.
Oh, that's very sweet of you!
Well, this would be a great boon if I didn't already have Binks.
[[Nilbog Notes:
Lapras
#131
Water/Ice
"A Pokémon that has been overhunted almost to extinction. It can ferry people across water."
Lapras is the game's saving grace for you if you SOMEHOW have not started with Squirtle, not bought the Magikarp, not evolved Eevee into Vaporeon, not even touched any of the fishing rods, nor caught and trained any of the oddly many non-Water types that can learn Surf. Lapras is a Pokémon I've always been fond of but never raised, and was in the shortlist for my Water Type for this playthrough. Ultimately I decided against it because as a gift Pokémon it's stuck in a regular Pokéball, and I already had three team members in one and I try to get more Ball diversity in Gen 3 and later games due to the unique sprites and animations]]
I'm almost there...
Out of my way! Giovanni's mine!
All right, now is the time. Let's cowgirl this...
Giovanni, I told you back in Celadon to clear off!
And bubbie, I'm his white night.
Yippie-kai-yay, mother@%#!er!
Part of me wishes I had Thade to deal with you, but Raiden has Brick Break for a reason.
Face it, Team Rocket is done!
Not this time, this time you - OWWWW!
More goddamn Game Corner Coins?! He did it AGAIN!
How about you distribute some of those profits back to your workers? And no, I will not let that go.
I don't feel comfortable with this...but maybe I should hold onto it just in case.
I'm going to take my leave now. I've spent more than enough time in this building.
And that's worth everything. Now I can explore your fine town freely. But before I do that, I need to make a quick detour...
He threw them at me, might as well use them.
Binks just got a whole lot cooler. Saffron isn't ready for us.
***
[[Nilbog Notes: The longest episode yet, and a day late to compensate. The next few should be shorter. In the meantime, here's the team:
Tune in next week (probably?)!]]
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