Cheren: Yeah… You can get to the Giant Chasm from Route 22

I’m going to get in the water and see if there’s anything around.

Oh, an alomomola!

It gently holds injured and weak
Pokemon in its fins. Its special
membrane heals their wounds.

Someone really likes flat pink fish, I guess. I don’t see why this isn’t an evolved form of luvdisc, since I’m pretty sure luvdisc aren’t really usable pokemon at the moment. I’m not sure how much better alomomola are but they don’t explode when my pokemon tap them, so I’m assuming they’re a step up.

Okay, seems the area is all walled in. It’d actually be a really nice place to swim.

So, to the cave. I’m going to dump off my gothy pokemon and get my smug snake pokemon back.

And…the plasma roadblock seems to still be there.

And shit Failry’s just run up behind me.

Gary: You’re already here, huh?

How on earth did you get here behind me I spend a while swimming in circles and then I healed my pokemon and then I swapped pokemon and then I spent a while rearranging my boxes.

Anyone who tries to block us will go running away with their tail between their legs!

They seem to be ignoring me. Then Failry gets a ? over his head and someone else shows up from the other direction and they turn to the new person.

Hey, it’s good! We’re all set here!

It’s finally time! C’mon! Let’s go!

And the two walk past the new person.

Gary: You’re all alone now… So, which one of us are you gonna tackle?

Now the question mark appears over his head.

Oi! It’s me! Me! The ex-Plasma guy! The one Rood asked to be a spy!

And how’d you get here?

Gary: Oh, yeah… I remember you. Being ex-Team Plasma is really rough, eh?

You know, N was so nice to Pokemon… And all I wanted was to protect Pokemon from bad people…

Gary: Well, I suppose… If we don’t crush Team Plasma, then guys like you and that N guy-

KING

will always be treated like villains.

Failry, they were treated like villains originally. You guys believe pokemon are property. So far, they’re the only ones we’ve seen keeping pokemon for the pokemon’s sake rather than their own, and the advice they give about keeping pokemon outside of pokeballs seems good.

But what have we seen from you? That it’s always wrong to steal pokemon, always wrong to say pokemon should be free. Regardless of the situation or individuals involved. The sentimental value of a gift trumps the fact it’s an actual creature with its own feelings being given.

OK! I’m outta here, Farla!

Why are you even here.

No, really, this was a perfect change for a monologue. Here’s what the guy could have said if Failry wasn’t here:

Oi! It’s me! Me! The ex-Plasma guy! The one Rood asked to be a spy! I’m here to help.
You know, N was so nice to Pokemon… And all I wanted was to protect Pokemon from bad people…

There we go. Failry’s interjections add nothing.

Anyway, Failry runs off. Spyguy remains.

Oh, thank you. That’s so nice.

I think he’s still talking to Failry even though Failry isn’t even here. That’s how superfluous my presence is, people won’t even talk to me when I’m the only person to talk to.

Even if we said it was for Pokemon, in the end, we were doing what we wanted to do.

So the moral here is that if you want to help people, you’re being selfish because it’s what you want to do?

Please excuse me. There’s something I have to do!

Well, as long as it’s not what you want to do.

Then he leaves.

And this place has multiple directions I can choose to go it! It’s mazey! I found a star piece!

Vanillish.

They cool down the surrounding air and create ice particles, which they use to freeze their foes.

It sounds so badass and yet looks so stupid.

Huh, leaving from the bottom I see Failry, old-uniform and new-uniform Plasma, and some other people. Back in!

Exiting from the bottom one brings me into a cool misty area! I find a moonstone on an incomplete bridge. So much better than some stupid “plot” “event”.

And holy shit clefairy!

On nights with a full moon, Clefairy gather from all over and dance. Bathing in moonlight makes them float.

Another exit has a pair of Team Plasma grunts.

We’re standing watch here so our allies don’t go AWOL!

And…I don’t attack them.

None shall pass! Sages’ orders!

So – my avatar doesn’t seem too interested in actually attacking Team Plasma, she only battles those who initiate fights. Perhaps, like me, her true goal is to get the legendary at the end of this.

Right then. To the lower exit and the crowd.

And Failry, who apparently has eyes on the back of his head and immediately turns toward me when I walk down.

Gary: Come here.

My avatar obeys.

Wait a sec. He said he wants to talk to them so his old allies won’t get hurt.

Does he mean he’s trying to let them get away with it? Or is the idea these are innocent dupes?

Rood: Aah! I will say it as many times as it takes until you understand! Ghetsis’ real plan was to take over the Unova region!

Doesn’t everyone know this? I mean, that’s sure Plasma’s current plan, so they must be okay with it.

Liberating Pokemon was nothing more than an excuse! If anything, it would’ve made Pokemon suffer!

Didn’t it objectively do that, given part of the plan was working them to death on a castle for some reason?

Team Plasma: Uh-huh, yeah. That’s a pretty speech, gramps!

You’re getting your marching orders from guys who are just as old as he is!

You fool! We’re not going to listen to what a traitor has to say!

More reasonable, but still, there’s the basic problem that they are currently trying to take over the world, so it doesn’t make sense to be trying to reveal that their secret plan is to take over the world.

Gary: Well, that didn’t work…

I’m not even sure what it was.

But Failry cares not and puts on his spiky voice box.

Gary: Hey!

Everyone turns to look toward him with surprise and bafflement.

Let me through!

Team Plasma: What are you saying? Looking to get hurt?

Gary: I’m going to get a stolen Pokemon back!

“Regardless of its feelings on the matter, and with no concern for any other stolen pokemon!”

I’m not going to listen to villains like you! Rood! Ex-Team Plasma! Why do you have Pokemon by your sides!

Are you planning on calling them hypocrites or something?

To protect what’s important to you, right?

Uh, no, Rood claimed they keep pokemon just to care for them.

Even if your precious Pokemon get hurt, even if your ideals are damaged, the time to fight is NOW!

It sure is good we have someone making the hard decision to let other people get hurt to protect what’s important to him.

Team Plasma: You’re just a kid! Quit trying to act so cool!

More importantly, he’s just an NPC. Why is this all about him? Why is he the one trying to intimidate you, and why is he the one you shout back at and care about?

Whatever! Nobody’s getting close to the Plasma Frigate! Wipe them ALL out!

And a pair approach us.

Gary: Farla! As usual, take the other one!

Team Plasma: Like he said! We’re going to crush you along with the traitors! Because Team Plasma exists to cause trouble!

So are you guys in it for the evulz or not? I seriously can’t make sense of this. If you’re just evil, why did you respond to Rood’s plea by saying you don’t believe him? If you’re not, why are you saying you’re just evil now?

When I win, they back away.

Rood approaches.

Rood: Are your Pokemon OK? You should take these with you!

He gives me some max revives.

Idiot, revival herbs are just as good and way cheaper! You could have gotten way more for me if you’d done that.

He then hands some to Failry.

Gary: Thanks… He turns. I’m passing through! Oh, it looks like their backup has arrived.

Their backup is two more people, to reinforce the three already there. Big deal.

Then my so-called “allies” rush in to fight with them, stealing their precious experience and money.

Rood: At times like these, those whose hearts weaken, those whose determination falters, can accomplish nothing! To save our old allies, to protect Unova, we will fight! Both of you, go!

FUCK YOU GRAMPS

No, just a moment… Gary, was it?

Oooh, someone is really earning his violent death today.

About the Pokemon you’re looking for… In all likelihood, it is in the possession of the Shadow Triad–the dark warriors who appear silently.

Okay, they’ve only appeared a dozen times, we know who they are. Also, why the fuck would it be? There were plenty of regular Plasma grunts with one, and they seem like the sort to be competent enough not to need some random kid’s pet to fill out their team.

Gary: Got it! If I rescue it, that helps you guys absolve your guilt, doesn’t it?

Seeing as you’ll be rescuing it by beating up a lot of stolen pokemon you don’t give a fuck about along the way, I don’t see why it would.

Guess I’ll help you out!

He runs off. Oh, you better run, Failry. You aren’t going to get off with a mere death by dragon now.

Rood: At that time, I believed we were on the side of justice.

“Justice totally has your boss occasionally breaking into evil laughter, right?”

By serving my king, N, I was going to make a world without war.

Not quite sure how that follows. You do understand people don’t require pokemon in order to war, right?

But I was conceited, and I couldn’t see the unhappiness we were causing. That’s why I can’t let it happen again!

“Because last time I was throwing myself into something without considering if I might be making a mistake, so now I’m throwing myself into the exact opposite of it, having totally learned my lesson. The lesson was I was on the wrong side to be blindly sacrificing everything to a far-off goal.”

it’s actually pretty much how people work – you change causes, not your ways of behaving.

Anyway, let’s take a minute to ponder my avatar.

Her stoic silence and lack of fuck-giving are really endearing her to me. I think she’s setting up to be in a similar position for me as last game’s avatar.

I think she’s curious about things and, of course, is chasing after power and glory in the form of a legendary. She’s here because Team Plasma is doing things. Why leave the roadblock grunts from earlier? Well, why attack them? They’re waiting for more important people, if she attacks them the meeting might relocate and she’ll miss her shot at something that matters. The rival may be a conventional hero, trying to stop Plasma whenever he gets the chance, but she…

Hm, well she’s rather more like actual Gary, come to think of it. She’ll fight Plasma when they attack her for investigating, or when they get between her and a goal, but she doesn’t view the individual grunts as important, which is why she doesn’t care about if they escape or instigate a battle with people just standing there.

I once had the idea of a story about a trainer who didn’t give a damn about anything but power, who was going to set out to get some genetic supermonster like Mewtwo because he only wanted the best and regular pokemon weren’t good enough. I feel like that would fit well into Unova’s setting. There’s already the weirdness of tying the word “hero” to “possessing a dragon/doomsday pokemon”. And the way the story is so dialogue heavy while never allowing you to speak really invites questions of what you’re doing here, and how much you’re letting people make their own assumptions about your motives.