It's been an eventful 9 months or so in Sandy Version. Joanne Bloggs and Catherine Fennel discuss some of it while on an anniversary date.
Battle 36: Dinner and a Dance
Published: 27/8/22
Location: Sand Views Restaurant
Player: Joanne Bloggs (2-2-0)
CATHERINE FENNEL appeared!
I still can't believe you got us a reservation at one of the fanciest restaurants in all of Sandy Version!
Catherine: Where else would we go for our anniversary dinner but the place with the best dune view in all the Version?
Yeah... Still can't believe you've put up with the nonsense that seems to happen to me for the past two years. I can barely put up with it and I've been dealing with it my entire life!
Catherine: Nah. Happens to everyone. Maybe not as often as it happens to you, but... Sand Fox still hasn't resolved the... How are they phrasing it, again? "Situation."
You mean the one from when... Gus, was it?... Evolved into a zombie in a conversation with you?
Catherine: Yeah. Think they're calling in a specialist in dealing with what they're calling 'outbreak' situations.
OK, fine. Humans evolving into Pokémon rather than other humans is as unusual as inanimate objects turning into trainers...
Catherine: Oof. Remember Solveig from our train holiday last year? The one who said she had an X-Wing - An X-Wing of all things - just in case?
The one who helped you with the crossword? Yeah, why?
Catherine: I kept in touch with her by e-mail. She finally needed to use it.
Oh? What attacked her?
Catherine: The number five! While doing a sudoku!
Huh. That's weird. Normally the thing actually has to be... Physical... for it to turn out to be a Pokémon.
Actually, wasn't there that news story about a protagonist who started a pokemon journey who, by the time he was going to send out his Chikorita in battle, it had turned into a Finger?
Catherine: Oh that story? Vaguely. Had to turn it off. I hate interviews with Protagonist types. They never say anything. Not even the way politicians don't say anything, they literally don't say a word.
Things have definitely been peculiar this past year.
Catherine: Come to think of it, I think Solveig said she's looking into the weird occurances.
Hopefully not like those doomsday cult weirdos!
Catherine: Nah. She's got a head on her shoulders.
Catherine: Honestly, I think it's a marketing stunt. Wouldn't be the first time some company paid the Narrator to make life objectively worse for everyone just to sell a product, either.
Catherine: Who can forget the sulfuric acid rain induced increased sales of brollies a few years back?
...Don't remind me! I think I wound up buying a dozen before finding one that wasn't a wild Pokémon!
Catherine: Just your luck! Most people only had to get one or two, tops, before they got one that didn't want to fight.
STEAK appeared!
SCAMPI appeared!
Ah, the food's arrived.
Catherine: And apparently they stab every morsel here to make sure it hasn't turned into a Pokémon in the cooking process, so it shouldn't--
STEAK wants to fight!
SCAMPI wants to fight!
Catherine: ...That.
Well, a double battle with the mains wasn't what I was hoping for on an anniversary date, but I suppose needs must, and at least the company is enjoyable. May I have this dance?
Catherine: It would be my pleasure.
Phone, go!
JOANNE sent out CELLPHONE!
CATHERINE sent out TORCHIC!
STEAK sent out STEAK!
SCAMPI sent out SCAMPI!
Phone, flash photography.
Catherine: Torchic, ember!
PHONE used FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
STEAK used HEART!
PHONE took a PHOTO of STEAK flashing its HEART!
Torchic used EMBER!
SCAMPI used SCAMP!
SCAMPI is a SCAMP!
SCAMPI set CATHERINE's shoes on fire with TORCHIC's embers!
Phone, you have a picture of Steak flashing its heart. Try some blackmail on Steak.
Catherine: Use my shoes for a blaze kick.
CELLPHONE used BLACKMAIL!
STEAK used BLUE!
STEAK was beaten BLACK and BLUE!
STEAK fainted!
PHONE sent STEAK a get well soon card in the MAIL!
TORCHIC used BLAZE KICK!
TORCHIC's attack was powered up by FLAMING SHOES!
Critical hit!
SCAMPI used SCAMP!
SCAMPI can't stand the heat so gets out of the restaurant!
SCAMPI scampered off!
WAITER appeared!
WAITER used APOLOGISE!
WAITER doesn't know how this happened!
WAITER stabbed SCAMPI and STEAK themself to check for signs of ANIMACY!
Settle down, you'll still get your tip. We will be needing replacement meals, however. Mine fainted and my date's absconded.
WAITER ran away!
...Hm?
...To the KITCHEN!
Good. Just checking.
Be sure to e-mail Solveig about this when we get back if she wants to investigate recent odd occurrences.
Something that was checked for signs of animacy, and then deciding it was a Pokémon minutes later shouldn't be possible, no matter how much a company is bribing the Narrator.
Catherine: Are you sure that's impossible rather than just rare?
Absolutely. I don't think anyone's got more experience with inanimate objects turning out to be Pokémon than I have.
Catherine: Right. Yeah.
But for now, we have more important business to attend to.
JOANNE used LOVELY KISS!
READERS gave COUPLE some PRIVACY!
Following Battle 18, Manager Mike has been attempting to deal with Sand Fox Corporate HQ's Gosslord problem. Thus far his attempts have proven less than successful.
Battle 37: Shooting Stars at Problems
Published: 03/09/22
Location: Sand Fox Corporate HQ
Player: Jill Valentine (0-0-0)
Manager Mike: The entire office has been shut down for way too long.
Manager Mike: After Hugh Reigns I sent in another 4 schmucks... I mean, associates... who all fell to the same fate.
Manager Mike: What the hell am I going to do? The shareholders will try and have the CEO's head on a pike for the lost income.
Manager Mike: Who'll pass the buck down the chain to me.
NARRATOR is more WORRIED about what happens if they GET OUT!
Manager Mike: Then they're out of the office and we can get back to normal.
...NARRATOR thinks MANAGER MIKE is MISSING the BIG PICTURE here!
NARRATOR has the situation CONTAINED into a SINGLE ROOM!
Manager Mike: I want them out of there!
NARRATOR prefers the GOSSLORD OUTBREAK QUARANTINED until the PROBLEM is RESOLVED!
NARRATOR is a LITTLE WORRIED about what happens if they REALIZE they can use the WINDOW!
Manager Mike: Then they'll be out of the office and I can get my people making money for the corporate shareholders again.
...Assuming the CORPORATE SHAREHOLDERS don't get EATEN!
NARRATOR has called in a SPECIALIST!
Manager Mike: Well, where are they?
JILL VALENTINE appeared!
Sorry I'm late. There was a series of convoluted locked doors in the way.
I eventually managed to find the right bit of sheet music to play the correct piano tune to open the secret passageway to the tiger head which I inserted the correctly coloured jewels into.
But, here I am.
How do your employees manage to into work on time regularly?
Manager Mike: ...The lift?
Manager Mike: Or the stairs on our wheelchair hostile days when we shut down the lifts to force our employees to get more exercise by taking the stairs...
Manager Mike: Still not sure how we haven't gotten sued for that.
...I tried that. There wasn't anywhere to insert an emblem into the mechanism to get it working.
Manager Mike: ...The... Numbered buttons?
Manager Mike: Seriously how did you get up here without using either the stairs or the lift?
I told you. Correct sheet music, played the piano, inserted the coloured jewels into the tiger head, and here I am.
...
...
...FORTUNATELY, this is a COMBAT MISSION!
What's the mission, anyway?
GOSSLORD OUTBREAK!
...Gosslord?
Think of them as ZOMBIES that feed on GOSSIP!
So like at the Wesker mansion?
That's how I learnt to navigate as well as I do.
...NARRATOR had NOTICED!
How many?
SIX!
Do they have Pokémon?
TWO have TWITTER, TWO have PHONE!
GOSSLORDs do not always use their POKéMON in BATTLE!
Can we starve them out?
The SIX are SHARING those FOUR POKéMON to get SECOND HAND GOSSIP to FEED on!
...Right.
So, how do I get into the room? Jewels, music... Oh is it soup cans? I read a diary entry about soup can locks once. Been wanting to try one since.
Manager Mike: ...Why would it be soup cans?
Well, you never know.
Manager Mike: ...Where would we even put the soup cans?
NARRATOR has the DOOR SEALED!
NARRATOR needs to NARRATE JILL passing!
Otherwise, DOOR is CURRENTLY IMPENETRABLE!
Passing as in skipping my turn?
...Just SAY SOMETHING that NARRATOR can interpret as a PASS!
So I was thinking about taking a mountain holiday after this?
JILL used PASS!
JILL passed through the DOOR!
GOSSLORD appeared!
GOSSLORD appeared!
GOSSLORD appeared!
GOSSLORD appeared!
GOSSLORD appeared!
GOSSLORD appeared!
...Couldn't you have been more concise there?
NARRATOR had a BAD EXPERIENCE with trying to be CONCISE recently!
Just... Maybe try referring to them as a Gosslord Hoard?
Does JILL promise not to ARGUE with NARRATOR about how MANY there are or what NARRATOR means if NARRATOR does so?!
...Yes?
GOSSLORD HOARD wants to fight!
GOSSLORD HOARD sent out GOSSLORD HOARD!
...Would this encounter have been stacked more favourable for me if I'd kept my mouth shut there?
No, it would have just TAKEN LONGER to NARRATE!
Combat Knife, Typewriter, Beretta, go!
...If you'd told me this was going to be straight combat before calling me here, I'd have used more of my inventory slots on Pokémon. But six on three will have to do.
JILL VALENTINE sent out COMBAT KNIFE!
JILL VALENTINE sent out TYPEWRITER!
JILL VALENTINE sent out BERETTA!
Typewriter, save. Combat Knife, cut. Beretta, fire.
COMBAT KNIFE used CUT!
BERETTA used FIRE!
TYPEWRITER's paper was set on FIRE and its RIBBON was CUT!
TYPEWRITER is in critical condition!
TYPEWRITER used SAVE!
TYPEWRITER saved itself!
TYPEWRITER ran away!
TYPEWRITER escaped!
That... Didn't go to plan. I thought you wanted me to win.
NARRATOR does!
You're not acting like it.
NARRATOR sometimes NARRATES before it THINKS!
GOSSLORD HOARD used CRUNCH!
BERETTA was hit 3 times!
BERETTA fainted!
COMBAT KNIFE was hit 3 times!
COMBAT KNIFE fainted!
Half of GOSSLORD HOARD was hurt by COMBAT KNIFE's ROUGH SKIN!
I thought it had Iron Barbs?
Does it MATTER?!
They're IDENTICAL abilities!
The FLAVOUR is BARELY DISTINGUISHABLE!
In either case SHARP BITS on the POKéMON being ATTACKED causes opposing POKéMON to take 1/8th damage if they use CONTACT MOVES!
NARRATOR thinks both existing is a WASTE of EFFORT!
JILL was dragged out!
Unarmed takedown.
JILL used UNARMED TAKEDOWN!
But JILL has too many ARMS to use that!
But I'm unarmed!
NARRATOR counts TWO ARMS!
NARRATOR was SURPRISED JILL learnt it instead of ARMED TAKEDOWN!
I thought it meant arms as in weapons, not limbs!
What's even the point of the move, then?!
WOOPER among others!
Two GOSSLORDS used SANDWICH!
Two GOSSLORDS place JILL in TWO OVERSIZED BREAD SLICES that require ONE GOSSLORD to HOLD EACH!
GOSSLORD used SERVE!
GOSSLORD served JILL SANDWICH to GOSSLORD!
...Well that's a less painful version of the Jill Sandwich joke than nearly happened last time it came up, at least.
GOSSLORD used EAT!
GOSSLORD began EATING JILL SANDWICH!
No. There it is. There's the pain.
GOSSLORD used SLURP!
GOSSLORD slurped at the DELICIOUS BRAIN JUICES LEAKING from the SANDWICH!
Could you at least Narrate me fainting for this? It's agonizing.
GOSSLORDS are being CAREFUL not to cause JILL to faint!
...Wonderful.
GOSSLORD used BRAIN DRAIN
GOSSLORD sucked up JILL's DELICIOUS BRAIN!
Huh?! JILL VALENTINE is evolving!
JILL VALENTINE evolved into GOSSLORD!
...
NARRATOR used REINFORCE!
NARRATOR tops up SEAL on OFFICE DOOR!
Emojiman has started a podcast, and it's been quite popular. It seems he's just finished recording his latest episode.
Battle 38: Iconic Sounds
Published: 10/09/22
Location: Emojiman's Office
Player: Emojiman (0-1-1)
EMOJIMAN used TURN!
EMOJIMAN turned off MIC!
NARRATOR wishes EMOJIMAN wouldn't TALK SO FAST when RECORDING!
🎧▶️✖️2️⃣
👁️🔺👄⏩🎙️
...EYE TRIANGLE MOUTH FAST FORWARD MIC...
EMOJIMAN TRIES to TALK FASTER into MIC because LISTENERS PLAY at DOUBLE SPEED?!
✔️
NARRATOR had NOTICED!
NARRATOR is always ON EDGE while EMOJIMAN RECORDS!
NARRATOR isn't used to MISSING THINGS!
🟥🔠🦄😣
...RED CAPITAL TEXT UNICORN... PERSEVERING?!
...STRUGGLE!
NARRATOR UNICORN STRUGGLE?!
...UNIQUE?!
NARRATOR is UNIQUE in STRUGGLE?!
✔️
...
MIC wants to fight!
🙄
MIC sent out MIC!
🏹
EMOJIMAN sent out BOW AND ARROW!
🎯
BOW AND ARROW used BULLS EYE!
MIC used YETI!
YETI's eye was shot BLACK AND BLUE!
YETI went on a RAMPAGE in PAIN!
COMPUTER was fully CRASHED in RAMPAGE!
AUDIO FILES hadn't yet been SAVED!
☹️
YETI's RAMPAGE continues!
WALL was fully CRASHED in RAMPAGE!
YETI ran away!
...Via HOLE in WALL!
...OFFICE is on SECOND FLOOR!
PAVEMENT was fully CRASHED in RAMPAGE!
YETI fainted!
🌠🚫⭐
...
BOW AND ARROW used... SHOOTING STAR NO ST--
SHOOT!
BOW AND ARROW used SHOOT!
MIC was fully SHOT!
MIC is no longer WORKING!
Or in other words...
MIC died!
🤦
EMOJIMAN wins!
🏹🔙
🖥️🟢
EMOJIMAN tried to turn on the COMPUTER!
But COMPUTER was fully CRASHED into a PILE of COMPONENTS by YETI!
☹️
NARRATOR has bought itself a COUPLE OF WEEKS without DEALING with EMOJIMAN talking FAST while EMOJIMAN gets NEW EQUIPMENT!
Shadow still has membership with Just Dune It Gym, despite only getting it in the first place under duress. We join him just before the start of his next session.
Battle 39: Forms and Shadows
Published: 17/09/22
Location: Just Dune It Gym
Player: Shadow (0-1-0)
He's running late as usual.
SHADOW is SLIGHTLY EARLY!
SHADOW's WATCH is RUNNING FAST!
...Only as fast as I like it.
GYM OWNER GYM appeared!
Gym Owner Jim: I'm glad to see you're... On time... For your next... Session.
Yeah, about that.
I want to cancel my membership.
Gym Owner Jim: Is there a... Reason... That we can possibly remedy?
...
I never wanted one, only signing up for one because I was trapped under a pile of cute things and you had me sign up in exchange for helping me out.
I haven't actually made any gains by any conceivable metric since I got here because you're terrible at your job and your facilities suck.
The only reason I still have membership is because of the automated renewal.
I only turn up because the Narrator insists on me making use of it since I have it.
How do I cancel my membership?
Gym Owner Jim: It's a... Relatively simple process. Just complete... The 25 page... Cancellation form...
...Shouldn't take long, where is it, exactly?
DOOR to CANCELLATION FORM appeared!
...Well that answers my question.
Gym Owner Jim: Would you like your... Class... Before or after your... Inevitable failure... To quit?
Also, your coaching style sucks, you do the exact opposite of motivational speaking.
I'm doing the form now so I don't have to put up with another of your hideous classes.
Location: Form Room
SHADOW appeared!
...An abandoned classroom?
FORM ROOM is MULTIFACETED!
DOOR to JUST DUNE IT GYM disappeared!
...What the...?!
No need to WORRY this is just a normal part of the FORM ROOM GEOMETRY!
...How do I get out?
When you are READY the DOOR will REAPPEAR!
It's still weird to be in a room with no doors. What if it never happens?
DOORS never REAPPEARING in the FORM ROOM is RARE!
Well that's a--
Wait, rare? Define rare for me.
Less COOKED than MEDIUM RARE, more COOKED than BLUE!
...You know exactly what I mean.
60% of the time a COMMON DOOR back to where SOMEONE came from appears!
30% of the time an UNCOMMON DOOR to SOMEWHERE ELSE in SANDY VERSION appears!
People are only TRAPPED here for any LENGTH OF TIME a RARE 10% of the time when something other than a DOOR appears!
...That... Doesn't sound rare at all.
There's also a 10% chance for DOORS to be coated in HOLOFOIL!
...Why, who came up with that?
SYSTEM DESIGNER was inspired by CCGs!
EVERY PACK of 10 DOORS is GUARANTEED 6 COMMON DOORS, 3 UNCOMMON DOORS and ONE RARE non-existent DOOR!
...Doesn't that imply...
That SYSTEM DESIGNER designed a SYSTEM where PEOPLE randomly get TRAPPED in a ROOM with no BATHROOMS or FOOD SOURCES for an INDETERMINATE TIME in 10% of USES as a FEATURE?!
Yeah, that.
Only because SYSTEM DESIGNER did!
Who's the system designer, when I get out of here I want to be very violent towards them.
NARRATOR would like to see SHADOW try!
Well, who's the system designer, then, so I can try.
...
...
NARRATOR expected SHADOW to be FASTER on the UPTAKE!
...Wait...
...You designed this system like this?
Yes!
NARRATOR is LOOKING FORWARD to seeing the VIOLENCE SHADOW plans on UNLEASHING upon it!
NARRATOR dons its SMITING FONT!
...But NARRATOR only has one FONT!
No effect!
...
...Just show me the form so I can get a 90% chance of getting out of this classroom that looks like it's from some sort of horror game.
DANGANRONPA! For all your GORY DETECTIVE GAME needs!
Not. Helping.
CANCELLATION FORM appeared!
CANCELLATION FORM wants to fight!
Me, go.
SHADOW sent out SHADOW!
CANCELLATION FORM sent out CANCELLATION FORM!
Let's see, how do I get this over with fast?
...Not busted that out in a hot minute, but I think I still have it handy...
Sub-Machine Gun.
...
SHADOW still has that?!
Never got round to getting rid of it, I guess.
SHADOW used SUB-MACHINE GUN!
CANCELLATION FORM used CANCEL!
SHADOW's attack was cancelled!
...
SHADOW no longer has access to SUB-MACHINE GUN!
I'd been meaning to get rid of it for a while but...
Does that mean it's just going to delete my attacks?
It's a TWO-IN-ONE of a BUFFED DISABLE and a BUFFED PROTECT!
...So it gets less likely to work each time it uses it in succession?
Sure!
...An answer that both suggests my plan will work and confirms the old theory that you make this stuff up as you go along.
Just need to use really powerful moves that I don't care about losing.
...Let's see if I remember any of those song titles I wrote around my gun phase...
True Soldier of Destruction.
SHADOW used TRUE SOLDIER OF DESTRUCTION!
CANCELLATION FORM used CANCEL!
TRUE SOLDIER OF DESTRUCTION was cancelled!
Oh well. 325 more where that came from.
...Are... Are they all like that?!
Not all, but, you know...
Coffin of Memories.
SHADOW used COFFIN OF MEMORIES!
A lot are.
CANCELLATION FORM used CANCEL!
COFFIN OF MEMORIES was cancelled!
Birth of a God.
...NARRATOR would prefer SHADOW not use that!
Huh, why? It's just going to get cancelled anyway.
...Fine!
SHADOW used BIRTH OF A GOD!
CANCELLATION FORM used CANCEL!
But it failed!
...
...
CLAM SHELL appeared!
CLAM SHELL used OPEN!
VENUS was BORN!
VENUS used SURF!
FISH and MAGNETS appeared!
...NARRATOR had FORGOTTEN about those two and their SURFING HOLIDAY!
Good trip?!
FISH and MAGNETS flood FORM ROOM in EXCITEMENT about how good their SURFING HOLIDAY is GOING!
SHADOW is KNEE DEEP in WATER!
CANCELLATION FORM is running!
CANCELLATION FORM ran away!
VENUS returned to the OCEAN via CLAM SHELL!
MAGNETS and FISH ran away!
...So, I won. Does that mean I'm free of my gym membership to the worst gym in the version?
SHADOW needed to COMPLETE FORM to be free of that!
DEFEATING the FORM in a BATTLE does not constitute COMPLETING the FORM!
Where can I get another form?
One FORM per VISIT to FORM ROOM!
Damn.
SHADOW is in LUCK!
Oh?
SHADOW drew a RARE DOOR!
...Wait doesn't that mean...
No DOOR appeared!
...
The WATER brought SEAWEED with it, NARRATOR thinks that's EDIBLE!
...When can I leave.
Next time someone needs to FILL IN a FORM, just SLIP through their DOOR!
I guess it gets me out of that gym session, at least.
FORM ROOM is in a TEMPORAL VOID!
No time will PASS while SHADOW is here!
Location: Just Dune It Gym
SHADOW disappeared through DOOR!
DOOR to CANCELLATION FORM disappeared!
Gym Owner Jim: So how long before... He gets back?
SHADOW is only 20 miles away so...
SHADOW appeared!
A couple of LINES at the pace SHADOW runs!
...My shoes are still damp, goddamnit. You could have at least let me change into dry shoes before coming back here.
Gym Owner Jim: Are you... Ready for your session... Now?
...Fine. I'm not trying to fill out another form after subsisting on seaweed for two weeks.
Solveig has been trying to figure out why the Narrator has been acting stranger than usual this past year or so, and some other odd occurrences that she suspects are related, and has requested Joanne and Catherine's help in the matter.
Battle 40: Sharing Notes
Published: 24/09/22
Location: Solveig's Lounge
Player: Solveig Poulsen (2-0-0)
JOANNE BLOGGS appeared!
CATHERINE FENNEL appeared!
Thank you for coming, ladies.
Joanne Bloggs: You said you wanted my expertise in the bounds between what should and shouldn't be possible?
Catherine Fennel: And I'm desperate for stuff to do since my office is still... Closed for maintenance I think is the official company line.
...Gosslords, was it?
Catherine Fennel: I think if they got out it would qualify as a zombie apocalypse.
NARRATOR keeps letting QUALIFIED TRAINERS into the room to deal with the GOSSLORDS!
...Any luck?
They keep EVOLVING into more GOSSLORDS!
Catherine Fennel: As I said. Zombie apocalypse waiting to happen.
NARRATOR keeps expanding the OFFICE SIZE and has the DOOR sealed with NARRATION BLOCKADES!
...Narration Blockades?
Joanne Bloggs: A rough translation would be that things can only pass into or out of the office by Narrator's fiat. They're... Rare. Stronger than Protagonist Grade Plot Armour.
...Huh...
Anyway. I have a lot of notes on how weird the narrator's been acting lately. I'd like your help going over them to double check what is and isn't actually weird, see if we can figure out exactly when this started and if we can derive clues from it.
Joanne Bloggs: Sure.
JOANNE reaches for NOTEBOOK!
Wild NOTEBOOK wants to fight!
Since it's my notebook, I'd prefer to handle this myself.
X-Wing, go.
SOLVEIG sent out X-WING!
NOTEBOOK sent out NOTEBOOK!
X-Wing, try an X-Scissor.
NOTEBOOK used C SHARP!
X-WING cut NOTEBOOK with SHARP SCISSORS!
NOTEBOOK is in C-ritical condition!
I guess I'll use a Pokéball on it?
NOTEBOOK fainted!
...Huh?
FRACTIONAL DAMAGE from POKéBALL impact!
POKéBALL failed!
SOLVEIG cannot catch a fainted POKéMON!
...OK then...
Since we can't look over the notes, because the notebook fainted... I have a case at the moment I was also hoping you'd be able to help me with. Involves a book the Narrator can't perceive.
Joanne Bloggs: ...A what.
A book. A grammar guide, specifically. Unreplicatable.
Joanne Bloggs: Other part. Something the Narrator can't perceive?
Apparently, it goes by the negative space. It knows there's a book there because it perceives the text written on it.
Joanne Bloggs: Narrator, there are things you can't perceive?
NARRATOR would prefer not to TALK about it!
I've already gotten as much info out of it about the nature of its perception as I think is possible.
I know who stole the book. Team Rocket.
Catherine Fennel: What the hell does the mob want with a grammar guide?
I've not been able to determine that yet. But I think it might be connected to the Narrator acting weird lately.
NARRATOR hasn't been acting WEIRD!
Especially since the Narrator indicated it was worried. And is forbidden from filling us in on something.
Joanne Bloggs: ...Worried, huh.
Joanne Bloggs: Narrator... Does this have anything to do with the incident with the cobbler?
BOTH of those plans were a WASH!
One decided to CONQUER JOHTO as soon as NARRATOR tested them!
The other went even WORSE!
How do you go worse than conquering an entire region?
NARRATOR would rather not TALK ABOUT it!
NARRATOR is DONE with trying to get help from YOUNGSTERS!
...So a Youngster might have some info for us, huh?
!
Joanne Bloggs: Bingo. Conquer Johto... Wasn't there a story about that... I think it was another Youngster who took the kid who took over down?
!!!
Catherine Fennel: That would be the kid we're looking for, then.
So... Time to search news stories to see if we can work out which kid it was, then, at least while we're waiting for the notebook to come too. If we can't convince him to help out, at least we might be able to get info from him to work out why Team Rocket might be interested in a grammar guide if the Narrator's already tried to recruit him.
BEN is not going to LIKE this!
Or the Narrator might just tell us who we're looking for, that works too.
NARRATOR and its BIG BOOMING RED TEXT!