Text Play: Pokémon Xenoverse #28

Hello, and welcome to the Eldiw region! this is entry number 28 in my Text Play of Pokémon Xenoverse! 

Now, as is tradition, I wish to warn you that I will be spoiling this game.

As such, I would strongly advise that you play through this game for yourself before reading this Text Play. You can download it here. So, with that out of the way, let's go!

Last time, we started to make our way through Caspar's gym. The man loves puzzles, as he's thrown a couple of them in our direction. We just earned the second El Purgatorio Pass. 

Two doors down, two more to go. I can't wait to open that big metal door. I'm coming for you, Caspar! See that barred door next to the big metal one? That's the door this second pass opens up. When we go inside...

Huh. Looks like that tunneled-out area in that big darkroom cell. Well, if we go upwards a little bit, we can see a path lit by candles. 

Now, you may be asking, "Hey, we can just go between the candles, right?"

When we try to get on the path...something forces us back into the room we tried to exit.

Seriously, how does this work? Does Caspar have a Ghost-type Pokémon especially trained for this? Would make sense. That is his specialty, after all. How do we get through this, you may ask?

Well, remember those prisoners we'd meet that'd give us random directions? Yeah, that's what this is for. We have to walk a certain way. But which prisoner's directions are the ones we can use here? It took a bit of trial and error, but I managed to figure it out. Remember this particular prisoner?

This is what he said.

Two steps forward. One to the right. Two steps forwards. One to the left. Straight upwards.

Taking that path leads us here. 

Now, how to go forward? Well, we have to follow the instructions of the prisoner named Maria. We met her in the Ecruteak City-themed cell. 

Yeah, that's the one.

Two steps forward. Three to the left. Two steps forward, two to the left, one downwards, three to the left, straight upwards. 

And we end up here.

From there, it seemingly gets tricker. Fortunately, the solution is a rather easy one. We just go straight to the right. Yeah, it's that simple.

After going to the right, we end up here next. 

From there, we have to go up. We follow Ochoa's instructions.

Two steps forward, two to the right, five upwards, and three to the left.

Once there, we end up here. 

Hey, a Litwick. We encountered those at the Wild Bull Saloon in entry #23! The Litwick will give you the third El Purgatrio Pass. With that, we can enter the last barred door.

Yeah, that one.

This cell reminds me of the Wild Bull Saloon. I'm guessing this was where Gunther Moor resided. The papers all have various things written on them. It's from these papers we get hints about this room's puzzle. One talks about a painting of a ghost holding a secret. One talks about only being able to check about the bookshelves. Another says the paintings hide the solution. Two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward, one step back, two steps forward. Hmmm. Paintings, huh?

Yeah, these paintings appear to depict famous glitches in Pokémon Red/Blue...well, except for the egg, of course. I recognize Missingno, for example. Thing is, it's all misdirection. The lase El Purgatrio pass is located in this room's open safe.

I think Caspar wanted to troll us. We expected this complicated puzzle, but instead, we can just grab it out of the safe and leave. With that, we can now open the big silver door. 

I feel so accomplished right now. I'm serious. One of the puzzles in this gym, the one with the dark paths we have to walk specific ways to get through, had driven me crazy trying to get through it. I am so happy we got through this and made it to this point. I really want to give Caspar the mother of all beatings for that puzzle alone. Let's go beat him down...if we can get through this tunnel first.

I think Caspar is deliberately trolling us at this point. I have to say, I love the little glowing crystals you find around here. They remind me of those LEGO crystals you get in sets on occasion. 

I've gotten back into LEGO in recent years, so...yeah. All we have to do is just go through the tunnel, and we'll reach the exit. However, someone spots us there.

Oh. Hey, Ochoa. And he brought friends. Lovely. 😖

Evidently, the prisoners were planning an escape. The screen goes black, and we end up seeing this dude.

Remember this guy from the entrance to the gym? He's the man who has been rooting for us. He claims that the prisoners have been using the challenge to open up the jail and escape. Sheriff Caspar is not going to be happy with this, but Encouraging Guy has a plan.

He suggests we capture them ourselves. After all, it'll give us some last-minute training against Caspar. Encouraging Guy thinks that they won't get far, so we can still pursue them. I can imagine why. We had to go quite a way to get here to Westar in the first place, and Caspar would appreciate our efforts. Naturally, Encouraging Guy is rooting for us.

...you know, I think this could have been done better. I really do. We find Ochoa in the town cemetery.

Whatever dude, I'm taking you in. He has his compatriot Jose with him, which means it's time for a double battle.

1st Pokemon: Peckabone (Lv. 38) and Absol (Lv. 38): Peckabone defeated by Sharpedo with Ice Fang. Absol defeated by Cacturne with Needle Arm, scoring a Critical Hit.

When you defeat them, they return to their cells. Yeah. They just go back to their cells. They don't try to attack us, they don't try to run away, the two just return to their cells. 

As I said, I think there was a better way to do this. Why not show that these prisoners were part of a form of "work release"-type program? These are prisoners who were well-behaved, and thus Caspar gave them jobs working at the Gym and also employs them as Trainers to help prepare challengers? I mean, that would make more sense than, well, this!

Anyway, if you want, you can still do some last-minute grinding for Caspar at this point as you have access to the grass patches throughout Westar. I thought I'd explore the cemetery, as I don't think we went through it before. If you go there, you can find this guy who will give you a Hyper Potion. 

Evidently, he kept trying to use potions on his Meowth's grave.

Anyway, the northern end of the cemetery has this big tower/mausoleum in it.

The cowboy nearby points out that this cemetary is ancient, and Westar is built around it. People also worship the dead around here. That's presumably also why not many people come visit this place. 😬We can enter this big building. If we do, we end up here.

This place looks like a mix of a church and a funeral parlor. Also, my kudos to the programmers for making the floor look reflective. That is always cool. 👍The people in the pews are here to pray for the souls of lost loved ones. See that stairwell in the corner? It takes you up here.

You know, now that I think about it, this place reminds me of the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town from Red and Blue. You can catch wild Pokémon here, mainly Scaracno and Gastly from what I've seen. If you go down the end of this hall, you can find an Item Box.

It contains a Twisted Spoon. Talking to the people here doesn't reveal much, just mourners. One guy does remark that it's believed that Pokémon use the souls of those buried in Westar's cemetery to evolve. I wonder if there's any truth to it...

As for the other two criminals (Maria and Seraphina), they can be found at Westar's exit, badly disguised as Miltank for some reason.

Seriously! These two dimwits didn't even put on any hoods or masks! It's hilarious! 😆

Like with Ochoa and Jose, we have to fight a double battle.

1st Pokémon: Vullaby (Lv. 38) and Murkrow (Lv. 38)- Vullaby defeated by Harrowk. Murkrow defeated by Sharpedo.

I returned to the Pokémon Center and got healed up. I already got lots of supplies from the Center before going to El Purgatorio the first time, so let's head back.

Encouraging Guy is clearly happy with our fugitive recapture. He thinks we're ready to take on Caspar himself now. We might as well. Have to get badge number five, after all. He warns us Caspar's Pokémon are tough, but he's rooting for us. So, let's properly meet Caspar.

...why are we wearing the prisoner shirts again? Anyway, Caspar reveals he was well aware of the prisoners' breakout plot. In fact, he let it happen to test us...and we passed with flying colors.

He believes the best trainers are observational, have courage, and "the spirit of initiative". I think that was a bit of translation awkwardness. What I think he really is saying is that the best trainers are willing to work hard to become great trainers. You know, have initiative. It makes a bit of sense. We had to be observant to get through the gym. We had to have courage to face the escaped prisoners, and we needed initiative to go through this journey in the first place. And Caspar finds us very impressive. 

He understands that we would think his letting the prisoners escape would be rather irresponsible. Yeah, no kidding. He assures us that if we couldn't stop them, he'd have stepped in. Yeah, this is why instead of a jailbreak, it should have been a work-release thing. It would have made Caspar look a lot less like an irresponsible idiot. He also says something that made me blink.

Yeah, from what I could find, "Estrus" is a reference to the ovulation cycle. Was Caspar originally intended to be a woman? That statement would make sense if Caspar was originally intended to be one. Ah, well. No time to puzzle that out, let's fight!

1st Pokémon: Lampent (Lv. 37) - Defeated by Sharpedo with Liquidation.
2nd Pokémon: X Cacturne (Lv. 40) - Defeated by Trishout with Flamethrower.
3rd Pokémon: Scarphasmo (Lv. 39) - Defeated by Rexquiem with Feint Attack.
4th Pokémon: Pallosand (Lv. 39) - Sent out Cacturne. Cacturne hits with Needle Arm. Caspar used a Hyper Potion. Cacturne hits again with ABsorb, then second use of needle Arm (which got a Critical Hit). Cacturne defeats Palossand.

And with that, Caspar is beaten. The Despair Badge, Eldiw's fifth badge, is ours!

Funny enough, I didn't even have to bring out my Murkrow to take this guy down. Sheesh. Anyway, Caspar thinks we should be the protagonist in a novel. We also get TM30: Shadow Ball. Caspar points out the importance of stars to Westar. Stars are sources of light. They can illuminate, but the brightest stars can also cast the darkest shadows. Something to think about.

And I think that's where we'll stop for the month. Join me next time as we continue the journey through the Eldiw region! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

JLA/Titans #1 (December 1998)

Like many of DC's most popular superhero teams, the Teen Titans has a long and storied history. In real-world publication, God knows what in-universe anymore. The team has gone through many changes, and quite a lot of heroes have called themselves members over the years. Many have gone on to become popular stalwarts of the DC Universe, while others have fallen into obscurity. 

In 1998, the DCU was without a Titans team. The second volume of the series had been canceled, but there was always a need for a place for teenage superheroes in the DCU to belong. So, Devin Grayson and Phil Jiminez provided the world with a three-issue story that would not only set the stage for the rebirth of the Teen Titans, but also feature them clashing with the Justice League. This is JLA/Titans #1!

The cover is a Phil Jiminez piece, and it's really good. It depicts the Teen Titans clashing with the JLA. Tells you what to expect in this miniseries, really.

"One of Ours"
Writer: Devin Grayson
Penciler: Phil Jiminez
Inker: Andy Lanning
Colorist: Jason Wright
Letterer: Comicraft
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Executive Editor: Mike Carlin

The story begins with Starfire flying her way through space. However, she's not doing it for pleasure. The Tamaranian princess is fleeing for her life. 

What exactly has gotten the Titans' resident warrior princess all freaked out? Well, she is being pursued by a large silver sphere. As she tries to blast and evade it, we see her thoughts about her time in the New Teen Titans, glimpses of battles with the likes of Baron Sebastian Blood, Deathstroke, Trigon. The group had gone through its fair share of good times and hard times, but the Titans always came through. After all, the Titans were a family first and foremost.  

On Earth, Garfield Logan, aka Beast Boy/Changeling, is thinking the same thing. With him is Antonia "Toni" Monetti, aka Argent. Like Logan, she was a former Teen Titan, from the 90s-era Titans. She was part of a group of half-alien superhuman teenagers. 

Logan laments that there are no more Teen Titans, and thanks to that, both he and Toni are now alone and feeling rather directionless. Argent recalls that Garfield traveled with his best friend Victor "Cyborg" Stone in space for a while. He did while reminding her that Vic now went by Cyberion. And he returned to Earth because his friend started acting really weird. But before Garfield can elaborate, the two hear an alarm. It turns out the two have a pair of guests.

Meet Prysm and Fringe, two of Argent's ex-teammates in the 90s-era Titans. Last time she saw them, they had decided to stay in space with the H'San Natall, the alien race that fathered them and Argent. They came to Earth to give a warning. Something wrecked half of the H'San Natall's empire, and it's coming to Earth. As they speak, Starfire is captured by the silver orb. And former Titan Lilith Clay, aka Omen, senses a disaster with her precognitive powers.

On the JLA's Moon-based Watchtower, members of the JLA are making some upgrades to the Watchtower's power core with some New Genesis tech provided by JLA members Big Barda and Orion. Among the JLA members there are the Wally West Flash and the Kyle Rayner Green Lantern. Kyle is still weirded out by the events of DC One Million, so Wally goes to visit the Hall of Heroes, the place where fallen JLA members are immortalized...like Wally's uncle Barry Allen and Hal Jordan, Kyle's predecessor as Green Lantern. 

The Martian Manhunter telepathically hears Omen crying out about danger, and an explosion hits. 

Thankfully for the JLA, this wasn't caused by Orion eating baked beans. Again.😬 The explosion knocks out all the electronics on the Watchtower. Wally spots the silver orb outside.

"J'onn, this is why you never order appliances on Temu!"

Orion and Green Lantern go check it out. The Martian Manhunter senses that the sphere is not a living being. Meanwhile, Starfire finds herself back on Tamaran with her family...and her children. But something seems off.

Starfire points out this can't be real, as everyone else looks washed out. But seriously, Tamaran was destroyed, she has no children, and her parents are dead. Yeah, her homeworld got blowed up real good in New Titans #128 (December 1995). 

A computer hears this and updates its files accordingly. On Earth, Barbara "Oracle" Gordon's computers go bananas. And it's not just hers. Electronics all over the planet are going crazy. Back in space, Orion and Green Lantern see the orb sending out objects all over the Earth. Superman in Metropolis and Zauriel in San Francisco report that panic is erupting thanks to said electronic devices going crazy. In Gotham, the Helena Bertinelli Huntress and Tim Drake Robin are working to keep things calm when a strange machine appears before Robin.

"...did the Martian Manhunter order an appliance on Temu again?" 

The machine scans Robin, then leaves. The robot was after someone, and Tim was not the target. Another probe captures Green Lantern. Two more manage to get inside the Watchtower. One captures Atom and another goes after the Flash. 

In New York City, a probe appears before Sarah Charles, Victor Stone's ex-girlfriend and his grandparents. However, it leaves, presumably looking for Cyborg himself. A S.T.A.R. Labs space station reports something coming from Mars's orbit. And it's big.

In Themyscira, it's learned a probe captured Donna Troy. In Boston, Wonder Woman reports that natural disasters and extreme weather is erupting. Another probe gets the second Terra in Markovia. Beast Boy, Argent, Prysm, and Fringe are captured next. Wally West seemingly fights off his probe...and ends up greeted by his (at the time) late uncle Barry. Yeah, he got caught, too.

The League tells Orion to follow the probes, but not to fire on them. They want to know where these things are going. Orion points out these things are converging on a point on the East Coast of North America. He also spots a golden light following them. Steel also spots something, the source of all the disasters on Earth. Some big technological thing is trying to eat the Moon!

Atlantis is also being affected, and it's revealed the probes got Tempest. In Arizona, Arsenal is captured. Same with Red Star, Pantha, and Baby Wildebeest in Russia. Off of Manhattan Island, Batman calls for all JLA members who are on Earth to gather on his position. Plastic Man appears, revealing he found what Batman sent him to find.

Out in space, Orion finds that the mechanical monster trying to eat the Moon is actually composed of parts of various ships it likely encountered in the past. An enraged Orion fires on the hulk with his Astro-harness, and it causes the disasters on Earth to get worse. Nice work, Orion. 

Supergirl (the Linda Danvers/Matrix incarnation) is captured in Leesburg, and Cameron Chase reports the same's been done to Damage. As Barda and J'onn stop Orion, Max Mercury calls in, revealing that Impulse has been taken, as well as Rose Wilson. Max notes that as Bart was taken, he said that this was just like something called the "Omegadro-". 

Elsewhere, the holographic Barry Allen tries to talk to Wally, but like with Starfire before him, he knows something is very off. He starts to vibrate at superhuman speed, and he is free of the illusion. And there's something else waiting for him. Or someone.

Nightwing spots Batman leaping down towards him...to give him a hug. He then grins at the confused Bludhaven-based vigilante, only for the former original Robin to realize "Yeah, you ain't Bats, I'm out."

He finds Beast Boy on a film set, with members of the Doom Patrol and in his original purple appearance. Yeah, when he debuted originally, Beast Boy was purple. He turned green later on. With the help of a Tibetan mental technique, Dick gets himself and Garfield back into reality. The two, alongside Wally and Raven, find the missing Titans.

“Man, this hotel sucks!"

Nightwing looks over the people trapped, including the likes of Herald, Flamebird, and Bumblebee. Back on Earth, the JLA gather, and discuss what to do next. Batman points out that they are on Titans Island, the former location of the old Teen Titans HQ. More ex-Titans vanish. Mirage. Risk. Joto. Jarras Minion. Captain Marvel Jr./CM3. Batman reveals he found the missing Titans. They're under the island, hostages of the being who is currently trying to eat the moon. Back underground, the four try to figure out who is responsible for this. But Garfield Logan knows who it is. And it's someone they did not expect...

Yes, the kidnapper...is Victor Stone, the former Cyborg himself. That big mechanical mess is him...what's presumably left of him, anyway.

This is a really fun story, and one that I think is one of DC's more underrated works. One of the reasons I love this story is that it's a celebration of the history of the Teen Titans up to that point in time. I admit, I chuckled a bit when Nightwing instantly realized that he was in an illusory world when Batman smiled at him. 

You can't really tell a story like this with modern DC, as a story like this needs a long history and canon to draw from, and the current DC Universe really doesn't have a solid backstory or history anymore. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 1999 trade paperback JLA/Titans: The Technis Imperative. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off!