#we have a surskit friend and a tangela friend :)

[yo9urt]

another JPMD update post before i put it off again...! possibly a bit shorter this time but STILL LONG

ok i got up to the part right after waterfall cave which means MEETING TEAM SKULL SOON YAYYYYYYYYY well we already met koffing and zubat and as i noted in post 1, they sounded exactly how i thought they would, but im reaaally curious about skuntank honestly im half expecting him to just talk like a yakuza or something lol

notes:

loudred, like croagunk, uses the わっし pronoun (EDITING TO SAY: it's possible he was actually using あっし, the working man pronoun that bidoof uses, and i misread the screenshot?); loudred, like croagunk, never read as an old man to me in the english version at all so i'm really curious about that. if anything his shoutiness always made me think of him as being younger (more impetuous, impulsive, etc.)

speaking of old men, torkoal DOES talk like one based on my extremely limited knowledge of how old men talk in japanese. he speaks politely and uses a lot of archaic words/phrases/verb forms and sounds pretty grandfatherly in the japanese version, just like in the english version!

chatot continues to perplex me...he uses 私 presumably as a formality but also uses だ instead of です, and i also caught him using the ず negative of a verb which is something i see occasionally in music but have yet to learn the real implications of. it seems a bit poetic or old fashioned to me but i could be completely wrong...he also uses ぞ but jisho says that indicates command which does make sense because he's allowed to give commands and his english speech always did sound a little bossy lol

the protagonist's way of...not speaking i guess but the way they talk in their thought bubbles is really interesting. to me it reads as much simpler and simultaneously much more complex than the other characters' speech, simpler because they tend to use a lot of the same words over and over as well as relatively simple words without a lot of flair like the other characters have, but also complex because it's these same words that make me scratch my head. i can't really explain it without an example but protag's speech is just kind of confusingly simple, so simple it becomes difficult lol

partner's speech has a bit more flair and personality to it (lots of elongated vowels, usage of 僕、etc.) but is also pretty simple like protag's. i guess protag talking simply makes sense because 1. from another world & 2. they play a bit of a self-insert role so it's better to give them a more bare bones speaking style instead of forcing players to align themselves with a personality they might not feel connected to (plus, again, kids' game, and kids are not going to be throwing around big words and sentences like adults do). partner's speech being simple makes sense for a similar reason i think, makes them a little easier to connect with, sympathize with, and cheer for (as noted by me finding them EXTREMELY endearing in the previous posts)

not a dialogue note but you know how in the english version they have those berries that are fake oran berries that actually hurt you? and they named them like Oren Berry or something? in japanese, oran berries are オレン (oren) and their evil counterparts are オレソ which is SO RUDE because my katakana is really bad and i suck at those 2 characters especially 😭

also not a dialogue note but i've noticed the ingame menu text often refers to protag+partner as "(protag's name)たち” and chimecho, in dialogue with both (but primarily talking to the partner) said "(partner's name)たち" which is kind of cute but also interesting. i was wondering how 2nd person plurals were handled (and 3rd person, outside of situations like 彼ら, やつら etc.)

it's still hard and there are still MANY moments where i look at a sentence, puzzle out a few words i know, try really hard, and then go "man i have no idea what you're talking about" and press A and move on. BUT i'm having a lot of fun and i do feel that with each repeated exposure my grasp of things is getting stronger every time!!!!!!

SENTENCES I WAS PROUD OF

こんなにいきおいがあるとはおもわなかったよ ~= "i didn't think anything could even be this strong" (said by partner at the waterfall; lit. "to-this-extent force SUBJ exists COND TOPIC think-NEG-PAST NEW")

すごい！こんなおおきなほうせきみたことがない！= "wow! i've never seen treasure this big before!" (said by partner at the waterfall cave gem; lit. "amazing! like-this big-IS treasure seen-thing SUBJ exist-NEG!")

これをもってかえったらみんなびっくりするよね！= "if we bring this back, everyone will be so amazed!" (same as above; lit. "this OBJ carry-return-COND everyone surprise do.NONPAST NEW CONFIRM!")

せっかくあたらしいばしょをはっけんしたとおもったのに。。。= "even though i thought we'd worked so hard to discover a new place..." (said by partner after finding out the truth about the waterfall; lit. "with-great-pains new place OBJ discovery do.PAST QUOTE think.PAST even-though...")

actually not sure if せっかく is "with great pains" or "rare/valuable" here it could be either one...

たんけんだけじゃなくいろいろなことにやくだつのうりょくだよ！これは！= "this ability isn't just useful for exploring, it could be used for all kinds of things!" (said by partner while chatting with protag about the dimensional scream (not that they know its name yet); lit. "exploration limit/only is NEG CONN various-IS things TARGET be.useful.NONPAST ability is(copula) NEW! this TOPIC!")

easily the proudest sentence in this post

[fruit-salad-ship]

Could we hear about how each of the trio's pokemon interact with each other?

Grey: Gai (Lucario) - jolly and enthusiastic. Gets on with everyone but is especially fond of Minerva. Jo (Tangela) - Shy but sweet, a little timid with the bigger species. Best buds with the little house mons like Lump, Mocha and Chip, fond of Quintin for his jolly nature. Harley (Cubone) - Stroppy, enjoys Murder King, and Riot, stern with the rest. Jinseng (Garchomp) - Boa's dad, calm and good natured. Doesnt like Riot, good with the rest, fond of Val and her leadership. Marcellus (Blastoise) - Calm and grouded, loves the little ones, can get a little fed up with Boadicea and Missy, they're a lot sometimes. Saxon (Houndoom) - Super chilled out, gets along with almost all, bar Riot who is chaos. Chigby (Alolan Rattata) - The fanciest rat, he really likes Minerva, Wednesday and Champagne, the rest are indifferent/fine with his presence. Zeke (Darumaka) - a ball of love, most are good with him but he personally is drawn to Bob, Val, Saxon and Boa. Its a fire type thing, he likes the heat share.

Plum: Missy (Dragonair) - ADHD in dragon form, sweet. Though most are tolerant of her, a surprise acceptance comes from Val, who usually dislikes mons like missy. She loves everyone, EXCEPT Boa. They have a fierce rivalry. Minerva (Lopunny) - respected amongst them all, no one hates minerva, she is a very good pillar of strength for many, but loves to hang with Gai, Wednesday, Champagne, Chigby, Quintin and Booker a lot. They all gossip together. Boa is her sister in her eyes. Wednesday (Misdreavus) - Naughty and energetic, she's a new addition from the trios holidays to Paldea, gets on GREAT with Missy, Gai, Riot and Pam. They are chaos as a group. Don (Rockruff) - A new addition, young but fussy. Gets on well with Saxon, Minerva, Booker, Chigby and Valka, activley dislikes the smaller more hyper mons like Zeke and Scooter.

Peach: Bob (Torkoal) - Loves the youngsters. Has a distinct adoration for Val seeing as they have history. No one can hate him, he's a gentle old soul who cares for all. Even Riot shows respect. Valka (Vulpix) - Fussy by nature, she keeps distance from most. Fond of Minerva, Booker, Murder King, Jinseng, and Bob. Surprisingly patient with Missy and Boa. Wants to eat chigby. Booker (Teddiursa) - Tolerant though grouchy, enjoys Minerva, Pam and Gai, has a strong dislike for Wednesday. Riot (Lycanroc-mindnight) - Everyones problem, Riot is too unruly for most. He loves to brawl with anyone. likes Pam, Don, and Booker, a lot, dislikes Saxon heavily. Gentle with ED. Quintin (Scizor) - Airhead, most have no issue with him, he's too sunny to dilslike. Boadicea (CharizardXGarchomp) - usually very good with others, she has no issue with even other dragons. All bar Missy, who she doesnt care for one bit. Adores Bob and Jinseng, her two dads. Minerva loves her like family, Val protects her as a fellow fire type. Donut (stantler) - Does not tolerate Riot's tomfoolery. Otherwise calm and sturdy, doesnt spook even with the little energetic ones. Fond of Marcellus and Jo, taken a liking to Don. Murder King (Omanyte) - Enjoys the company of Harley those two are like peas in a pod. Has a crush on Minerva, is super fond of Pam for her spirit, very entertained by Chip's devious nature. Strongly dislikes Chigby for some reason, no one can work that one out.

HOUSE MONS (No official trainer, but alwasy there) Chip (Seedot) - A devious little seed, chops and changes a lot. best friends with lump and scooter. Enjoys ED for his naive nature, Hangs with MK a little too much. Enjoys Marcellus. Lump (Lotad) - everyone besides chip and scooter are indifferent to lump, he's so chilled out and often just sleeps a lot and waddles around. Scooter (Surskit) - Hyperactive, Chip and Lump adore them. likes to see what Quintins up to, avoids Riot, spooked by Saxon, distrusts Harley. Mocha (Milcery) - one braincell. Has no hate in her at all, though spooked easily, has no issue even if pokemon scare her, soon forgets she was nervous. New love for Wednesday, those two get on great. ED (Scrafty) - Everyone loves ED, I mean c'mon, he's just a little dude. Missy, Minerva and Marcellus all baby him a lot, Pam tries to toughen him up, even MK and Riot are cautious with the him. Pam (Pancham) - Quite likes Riot for his brutish nature, looks up to Booker, likes to stirr the lump-chip-scooter pot, gets them in trouble. Champagne (Trubbish) - a proper lady, likes things just so, gets on great with Minerva, good with Val, very friendly towards Chigby. Not overall any trouble, just quite particular. Dislikes Riot heavily, not fond of Harley.

Thats all the mons that hang around a lot, but theres plenty roaming around the island elsewhere.

[wolfstar24]

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky Professor Oak’s Challenge Part 6

Chapter 5 where we can finally start recruiting things.

This morning, Chatot tells us that time has stopped in Treeshroud Forest.

Time has stopped because a Time Gear was stolen. Chatot says to report anything suspicious and dismisses everyone.

Chatot calls us over and says that because of the good work we’ve done, we’re being assigned a mission.

We are to investigate a waterfall that apparently has a secret.

Fig is super excited and we leave to head there.

Before we can leave, Chimecho calls us over. She gives us the ability to recruit new Pokemon. We can now official start the run.

While our next objective is to explore the waterfall, we’re not going to do that yet. We’re going to recruit pokemon from the dungeons we’ve already been through, starting with Drenched Bluff. Don’t go to Beach Cave as you can’t recruit anything there. I was also doing random missions as I recruited to increase my rank so any random pokemon on my team is just a client.

I turned off all of Fig’s moves so he won’t attack anything and headed to Drenched Bluff.

We recruite pink Shellos,

Lileep, 

Anorith,

and Chingling. I guess I forgot to get a recruitment picture so I had to get one from Chimeco’s assembly but I’m further along in the game than these posts so enjoy some spoilers.

Next, I head to Mt. Bristle to recruit

Doduo,

Geodude,

Starly, 

Machop,

Spinarak,

Nidorina,

and Nidorino. 

From mission rewards

I ranked up to Silver Rank

and recruited a Shellder.

Next, we finally head to the waterfall. This is where I run into a big problem.

It’s name is Kecleon. Waterfall Cave is the earliest Kecleon shops appear which means I need to recruit one. Kecleon are a pain to recruit. They require a pokemon at lv 99, with Fast Friend, and holding the Golden Mask for a tiny 0.1% chance to recruit. They are also insanely strong with max stats and boosted speed. They flood the floor and make escape orbs unusable. 

I decide I should recruit everything from Waterfall Cave before doing Kecleon. I eat the Golden Seeds I had gotten early which I had planned to use at the cafe but its not open yet. While I’m not lv 100, I head to Waterfall Cave anyway, making sure to have an escape orb since finishing the dungeon forces me to the next chapter.

We arrive at the waterfall but are kind of stuck on where to look.

Fig touches the water and is forced back. He then has Pine touch it who is also forced back.

Pine gets another dizzy spell.

Pine sees a pokemon leap through the waterfall and into a cave behind it.

Pine tells Fig what he saw so they decide to also jump through the waterfall.

They land in the secret cave and head inside.

I recruit Barboach,

Surskit,

Poliwag,

Psyduck,

Grimer,

Tangela,

Wooper,

Lotad,

and Whiscash. With everything recruited, I escape orb out. It’s time to get ready for Kecleon. 

I wondermail in Golden Seeds and Wonder Gummis so that Pine reaches lv 100 and learns Fast Friend. I then wondermail in a Mobile Scarf, Violent Seed, Pure Seed, Mobile Orb, and Sunny Orb. I also used a Luminous Orb but I had found one earlier. Pine’s moveset was Razor Leaf, Body Slam, Synthesis, and Solarbeam all of which are level up moves. 

Preparations complete, I head back to Waterfall Cave, making sure to save first.

Finding a Kecleon shop is easy with the X-ray Specs. They’re an unmoving red dot surrounded by a bunch of blue dots. When I find one, I give Fig the Mobile Scarf, Pine the Golden Mask, and use the Luminous and Mobile Orbs. I move Fig into a wall making sure he’s not next to a path and change his tactic to Wait Here. I then rob the shop and have Pine escape to into a wall. I use the Sunny Orb and have Pine eat the Violent Seed to raise his attack and special attack. Make sure there are no Psyducks around when using the Sunny Orb since they have Cloud Nine which nullifies weather. We are now ready to fight Kecleons.

I recruited Kecleon after a few hours and multiple resets. I send Kecleon home and eat the Pure Seed to warp Pine to the stairs. Now that all of the recruitment is done, we can finish the dungeon.

We find a room full of gems with a giant one in the back.

Fig tries to pull it out to take back to the guild but can’t so he has Pine try.

Pine can’t pull it out either but has another dizzy spell.

He sees the same pokemon from before push the gem and then get swept away by a flood.

Before Pine can tell Fig, Fig pushes the giant gem and they get swept away by the flood.

They get washed to the Hot Springs. They decide to rest here for a while before returning to the guild.

We tell Chatot what happened and he is impressed with our discovery. However, Pine feels something is strange.

Pine realizes the pokemon he saw in his visions was Wigglytuff and asks Chatot if Wigglytuff had ever been there before.

Chatot goes and asks Wigglytuff and he says he has been there before. Fig is disappointed that they didn’t discover anything new but he still had a lot of fun.

That night, Fig points out that everytime Pine as seen a vision, its been when he was touching something. He realizes that at the waterfall, Pine saw something in the past, while with Azurill, he saw the future.

Chatot comes in and says the guildmaster wants to see us.

Wigglytuff tells us that the guild is planning an expedition and although we’re rookies, we will also be considered as candidates. Fig is excited and we agree to try our hardest to get picked.