Cipher: Difference between revisions

Krane dispatches Michael to [[Pyrite Town]] to meet with [[Nett]] of the anti-Cipher [[ONBS]] news network. Cipher attacks ONBS while Michael is off visiting [[Duking]] at the [[Poké Spot]]s to recover the Data ROM, and Commander [[Exol]] has ONBS's servers wiped to prevent the information contained on it from leaking. This does not prevent Nett from learning that the Data ROM contained intelligence on a Cipher plot to attack [[Phenac City]], where ONBS reporter [[Marcia]] has already gone. Michael travels to Phenac City only to discover that Cipher's operation has already begun, and most of the city's residents have been replaced with Cipher soldiers. In the abandoned Phenac Stadium, Michael finds Snattle holding Marcia and [[Cameran]] hostage, demanding they hand over their news footage as it would damage his image as the governor Cipher intends to install to rule Orre when their plans are complete. Snattle's defeat is recorded by Marcia and Cameran and subsequently broadcast by ONBS as a warning to the region that Cipher has returned after their defeat five years ago. Michael, meanwhile, discovers the reason for Cipher's attack on Phenac City: the residents saw Cipher vehicles visiting a spot deep in the desert and engaging in suspicious activity.

Michael visits the site and discovers it is the S.S. Libra, dropped in the desert by XD001 following its hijacking. Gorigan and his men have been raiding the ship, kidnapping its Pokémon for conversion into Shadow Pokémon. After being sidetracked when the remnants of Team Snagem steal his Snag Machine, Michael pursues Gorigan to the Cipher Key Lair and infiltrates it with the aid of Gonzap and Team Snagem, who now oppose Cipher as well. At the top of the factory Michael battles and defeats Gorigan, only for Mr. Verich to appear via video screen and reveal himself as Greevil, Cipher's {{tc|Grand Master}}. Greevil challenges Michael to come to [[Citadark Isle]], where Cipher's fortress is located, for a final showdown.

With the aid of [[Dr. Kaminko]] and his [[Robo Kyogre]], Michael navigates the treacherous waters around Citadark Isle and reaches the facility, where he battles through an army of Cipher members as well as Lovrina, Snattle and Gorigan. At the summit, Michael battles Ardos and [[Eldes]], Greevil's bodyguards, before reaching the Grand Master himself. Greevil summons XD001 to do battle with Michael, bragging that it is the first of a planned army of Shadow Pokémon that cannot be purified, which Greevil intends to use to take over the world without having to rely on humans. Upon Michael defeating or Snagging XD001, Greevil attacks him in a rage, only to lose the subsequent battle despite having an entire party of Shadow Pokémon including the [[legendary birds]]. Outraged at these events, Ardos demands that Greevil order the detonation of Citadark Isle to kill Michael, while they escape in a helicopter to resurrect Cipher elsewhere. Greevil hesitates, realizing that this would destroy all of their followers and data, but Ardos tells him such things can be replaced. Eldes intervenes and appeals to Greevil's humanity by addressing him as "father," enraging Ardos, who rejects seeing Greevil as anything other than the Grand Master, even further. His son's pleas get through to Greevil and he agrees to surrender to the police, but Ardos continues to refuse to accept this and leaves. Eldes approaches Michael and tells him that there will be no further threats from Cipher.