Hello, and welcome back to the Eldiw region! This is entry number 23 in my Text Play of Pokémon Xenoverse!
Now, as usual, I will be warning you. I will be spoiling this game.
As such, I recommend that you download the game and play it for yourself first. You can do so right here. And with that out of the way, let's do this!
Last time, we met the members of Westar City's GEIST team. GEIST (the German word for "ghost") is Westar City's resident paranormal investigation unit. They are also Westar's resident fire department. I can imagine that they have to be very careful. After all, don't want to accidentally bring the ghost-busting equipment to a fire. Anyway, the team were investigating this haunting at the abandoned Wild Bull Saloon outside of the city, and they asked me to come along with them. And sure, why not? Maybe we can add some more Ghost Pokémon to our collection.
So, let's head down to the saloon!
No, not to get drunk. The Saloon has long-been abandoned. But before we do go, we should make sure we have plenty of supplies from the Pokémon Center. Never a good idea to go into these places without being prepared.
As I was getting the supplies we need (various potions, capture balls, healing items, etc), I couldn't help but think "Man, am I glad we battled all those Trainers. Got plenty of spending money."
Now that I think about it, you know what would be a great feature for a fangame? A bank feature.
Now now, hear me out. What I mean is, to help get a little extra money, you can put some of the money you win after fighting Trainers away, and it can grow over time like real bank accounts do with interest. It's just a thought. Anyway, once we have everything we need, we can go to the saloon.
You know, looking at this place has got my imagination fired up. I can't help but wonder what this place was like in its prime. The days of the Wild West. When all sorts of cowpokes would come here to wet their whistles. Enjoy a game of cards, a drink of sarsaparilla or whisky(more likely the latter), maybe throw a few punches...
Right, right. We got a job to do. When we get inside, Minta is very happy to see us. She outright says it's a joy to see us.
Have I mentioned I like Minta? Because I like Minta. She tells us the history of this here haunted saloon. Once upon a time, it was actually one of the premier attractions of Westar City. People traveled from all over to see this place. Over a century ago, the saloon was built by its first owner, a man named Chempo. Chempo. Sounds like he was one of the Marx Cousins. Anyway, the man also worked as the bartender. It was a very organized place. In fact, the room we're standing in is called the "Battle Room". True to the name, it was where Westar citizens and visitors would have Pokémon battles.
So, how did this place end up in this state? Well, it was all thanks to a rumor. Someone had started spreading one about the owner hiding a monstrous Pokémon. Sadly, despite there likely being no concrete proof to back up the rumor, people believed it. As a result, Chempo ended up going out of business. Since then, it's been like this. Some Ghost-type Pokémon have moved in since then.
Wait, this does raise some questions. I'm not talking about who spread the original rumor, I'm talking about some other stuff. If Chempo went out of business, what happened to him? Did he try to sell the saloon? Were there other owners in the years since? Did they try to revive the saloon?
Despite all of this, GEIST is determined to clear the place out. This place is Chempo's legacy, and she won't let any ghosts take that away from the city. And since we're willing to help out, Minta has deputized us as a member of GEIST for the mission.
So, now that we're a member of GEIST for this mission, let's help find some clues, shall we? Where do we start? Well, we could try here.
Huh. Wait, did somebody kill that Bouffalant and mount its head on the wall? I know that is weird, but it kind of makes sense? I mean, Westar City is modeled on a Wild West town, and Bouffalant are inspired by buffalo/bison, so...yeah. Maybe they were hunted to near extinction like real-life bison were.
Anyway, there doesn't seem to be much to find here in the battle room, outside of wild Pokémon. The bar area has a pair of stairs at the sides. They lead up to a second floor, where Salem is at. He's a bit of a jerk.
I hope Minta beats you senseless, Salem. The big doors on the screenshot are locked tight. Nobody is going in whatever room those doors led to. But on the left side of the battle room itself, there are a pair of paths.
Top or bottom? Well, I tried the top path, but it was locked. The bottom one was locked, too. Looks like the battle room is the only place we can access. I wonder if these other rooms were locked away by Chempo or any of the subsequent owner. There may be a way to unlock these doors, though. Remember where Chrysler was standing earlier? Well, he was standing near two pairs of doors. The one on the right is locked up. But the pair on the left can be opened.
A bedroom. I'm guessing this place was also an inn in the past as well. Which does make sense. I can imagine that traveling through the West, people needed somewhere to sleep for a little while. As can be seen, there's a Porygon Center inside the room. I'm assuming the GEIST team brought it in, as it sticks out like a sore thumb here. Will is happy we're helping out as he wants to see a Trainer in action. I'm assuming he means in person, as I can imagine he's seen trainers on TV. In the upper left corner of the screenshot, there is a shiny spot. That is the Saloon Key. This is the key that should allow us to open up all the locked doors in the saloon.
In the room between the two beds, there is what appears to be some crumpled up paper. Reading it reveals that it appears to be an entry in a diary or journal that may have been ripped out.
It was another night at the saloon...the clients and their Pokémon, between a drink and the next one, spent their time battling. Music and loud choirs echoed in the theater room, making the desolate Westar look like a nightlife city. Despite being the owner of this shack, I've never been a partier, so I just used to watch others having fun, proudly enjoying the result of my efforts. Suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, I felt a shiver down my spine. My observing spirit led me to find out some extraordinary that night...I saw a shadow hiding between the customers of the saloon...A shadow that resembled a Pokémon...! Ever since then, my working days have never been the same...
Huh. I think Chempo himself wrote this. I mean, I doubt it would be anyone else.
The key doesn't unlock the set of doors to the right of Chrysler, nor does it unlock the doors behind Salem. But it does allow us to enter one of those blue areas on the left side of the saloon: The top one. It leads us to this room.
There's another shiny thing on the ground. It's another Saloon Key. With this key, we can enter into the room below this one.
I think this room may have been a storage area. The Item Box there contains an Eviolite. The shiny spot on the floor there is another Saloon Key. This one allows us to open the doors to the right of Chrysler.
I think this was another storage area. This room is a bit bigger than the last one we were in. The Item Box in the screenshot contains a Max Repel.
That shiny spot there is, you guessed it, another Saloon Key! Seriously, who keeps these keys lying around everywhere? Anyway, once we leave the room, it turns out Salem caused some drama.
Aw Jeez, what did he do? 😖
Oh, he got himself possessed. Wonderful. Just wonderful.
Chrysler says he can handle this, but for some reason, Minta thinks we are better qualified for this job. Minta, girl, don't get me wrong. I like you and all, and I appreciate that you think this highly of me, but I'm a Pokémon trainer, not an exorcist!
Chrysler agrees, but that's why his plan will work.
He then puts his plan into action.
Yeah, he somehow has switched places with Salem. You see, he thinks it'll be easier to exorcise him instead of Salem as he is supposedly "weaker" than the blond himbo. I have no idea how that works. Either way, we have to free him now. And how do we do that? In the form of a Pokémon battle, of course!
1st Pokemon: Pikachu (Lv. 38) - Defeated by Sandygast.
2nd Pokemon: Metang (Lv. 36) - Defeated by Trishout.
3rd Pokemon: Klang (Lv. 36) - Defeated by Trishout.
The battle freed Chrysler, but the rogue Pokémon is still on the loose. Salem rushes in, eager to avenge Chrysler. Well, Minta did say he was a reckless sort...
Well, the rest of the team charge in to go get him before he gets his stupid self killed. Or worse. We're left with Chrysler.
I think he will be okay, but likely will be dealing with a headache and wondering why his Pokémon are all beaten up. Hope he doesn't hold that against me. We gotta go in through those doors and help the rest to the GEIST team.
When we enter the room, there's nobody here.
This room looks like it may have been a main hall of some kind. I hate to think something terrible happened to the others. I hope the rogue Pokémon didn't get them.
I thought there was a figure on the left in the screenshot, but it turns out it was just a barrel. We have to go to the right. When we do, there is a staircase.
We'll have to go up this totally not creepy staircase to find the gang, aren't we? Ah, well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Going upwards leads up to this red-carpeted ledge area. This area seems to have no railing to help prevent people from falling off. This world has no version of OSHA, doesn't it?
Anyway, the upper hall leads here.
The item box contains a Full Heal. We can't move past those boxes near the item box, so we have to go back down. The room is filled with various objects that you have to maneuver around, almost creating a maze. In the center of the room is a large platform and stage. This was likely a performance hall. Who knows what kind of acts may have performed here? Plays? Concerts? Dancing girls? Next to it is a piano...that is playing itself. Yeah, that's not creepy. We can't get to the stage. However, we can follow a path to the stairs behind it, which leads here.
Again, totally not creepy at all. We keep going to the left and downwards and we find...Salem?!
Salem, you...you okay there, buddy? You alright? You're just staring at the wall. You didn't go get yourself a bit of madness, I hope. I tried to talk to him, but he vanished in a puff of blue smoke...and everything went red.
Oh dear, I fear I set off something. We head downwards.
Inside the Item Box is a Dusk Ball. It's from here that we can get to the stage in the center of the room.
Looks even creepier with the red light. Where is it coming from, anyway? Maybe the GEIST folks are backstage. We head inside that dark area on the stage...
And yeah, there's something here. To the left of the stage stands this guy.
It's Salem, again. Well, I think the force in this place wants us to think it's Salem. But it's likely another fake. Sure enough, it is. "Salem" vanishes in a puff of green smoke, and now everything gets blue.
Wait a second. The first time we encountered "Salem", he vanished in a puff of blue smoke, then everything went red. Now he vanished in a puff of green smoke, and everything went blue. So, does this mean the third time, everything will go green?
I admit, everything going blue makes getting around a bit difficult, as everything is harder to see. It also doesn't help that objects are arranged to make a maze out of the room. It works from an in-universe perspective, as it can be shown that the malevolent force behind this is trying to make it more difficult for us to get around. But from a player's perspective, it just gives eye pain.
We go back to the stage and see...this.
Yeah, a bunch of Salems. Again, my apologies if you have trouble seeing this. One of the Salems says they were waiting for us.
...yay? The idea is that Salem is possessed, being used as a medium to talk to us. He introduces himself as Hangead. He's the Pokémon the GEIST team were after, and he wants to basically move out. Hangead has grown rather tired of the decaying old saloon, and he wants somewhere nicer to live. He senses that we are gifted with "great love and great hatred". Okay...
He reveals to us that under Salem's brash and reckless nature is a man desperate to prove his worth to his teammates...which made him perfect for possession by Hangead. This implies that Hangead needs people with some kind of issue to possess, or that it makes possession easier. So, why did Chrysler say earlier that he was "weaker"? Maybe because he feels he physically can never measure up to his teammates? Anyway, let's battle this Pokémon!
1st Pokemon: Charmeleon (Lv. 36) - Defeated by Pelipper.
2md Pokemon: Houndoom (Lv. 39) - Defeated by Pelipper.
If we can assume these are Salem's Pokémon, this only makes Chrysler's claim that he is "weaker" even more baffling to me. His Pokémon are around the same in power level as Salem's. Whatever. With Hangead defeated, the lighting returns to normal. Thank Arceus, the blue shift on everything made my eyes hurt.
Like with Chrysler, defeating Hangead drives them out of Salem's body.
Salem appears to be fine, if a bit confused. He admits his pride is a bit wounded about us beating him. However, he also does admit that this whole thing was his fault. After all, he let his pride get to his head. He also says that he can't move. Which is likely a leftover from his possession. Also, it'll be up to us to save Minta and Will. Will do! besides, I like Minta and Will. There's only one place I think we can go: The stairs behind the big stage.
Let's go for it. Once we enter, we find ourselves...here.
This looks like the exterior of a ranch. Seriously! The place is lit like we're outside, there's fences and patches of grass.
My guess is that Hangead is making everything screwy. Maybe this is a massive illusion. Either way, we have to get through this place to move forward. The one problem is, the fences have formed a big ol' maze.
I hate mazes. And I think this is a good place to end for the month. Next time, I'm going to try and find my way through this mess. Wish me luck! 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!
Pokemon Obtained
(Wild Bull Saloon)
- Golbat (encountered, not captured)
- Litwick
- Scaracno (100th Pokémon! WOOOO!)
- Scaracluo (encountered, not captured)
- Haunter (encountered, not captured)
- Xatu (evolved from Natu)
- Scaracluo
- Mimikyu
- Nunvil
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