Misunderstood Mischief

Misunderstood Mischief is the Special Research to catch Hoopa, the Mythical Pokémon from the Kalos region. It was made available since the start of Season of Mischief on September, 2021, and can no longer be accessed since the end of this season on December , 2021. Its parts were released throughout different events during that Season.

Players who complete this Special Research before December, 9:59 a.m. local time can gain access to another Special Research - Mischief Unbound. Players who don't have to purchase it for $5.

Professor Willow dialogue
Hey there, TRAINER! I'm glad you're here. A new adventure is about to begin! Not long ago, various Legendary Pokémon began emerging from mysterious rings that suddenly appeared in the sky. After some research, we discovered it was Hoopa, that Mischief Pokémon, that was responsible. Hoopa's rings allow it to teleport things—including itself—wherever it wants. That power makes it hard to track down, but for some reason, Hoopa seems to keep returning to this area. How do I know? Well, I was doing some lab work recently when my glasses were lifted straight of my head. Spark was there assisting me, and he said he saw a small, lavender-colored hand emerge from a ring and snatch my glasses. Pretty bold, eh? Luckily, he and Candela managed to retrieve my spectacles by chasing down the rings that were popping up at random around my mobile lab. So, at least I can still see. Haha! Needless to say, I'm still not sure why Hoopa's here. Tracking it down has been difficult, but with your help, I'm sure we'll crack the case in no time! For now, why don't you try using an Incense to see what Pokémon you can find in the area?

As with all great mysteries, solving this will take time, patience, and trust. I'll need to work along at some points, but I promise I'll return to share my findings and help propel us forward. You just keep exploring the world as you always do. You never know what you might find! I'll report back here once I have more information on Hoopa. Thanks in advance for your help, TRAINER!

Hey there, TRAINER! It’s so good to see you again. Have you managed to spot Hoopa anywhere? Although some think of Hoopa as a mischievous troublemaker, really all it wants to do is have fun! Speaking of fun, it seems Hoopa had a blast filling up my mobile lab with Pinap Berries. Maybe it spotted me happily digging into some during my lunch break and decided I could use a few more. It was a bit of a surprise when I opened the lab door and piles of Pinap Berries poured out! It took a while to clean everything up—but my lab did smell amazing afterward, so it wasn’t all bad. It was nice having an excuse to clean—not to mention I have enough Pinap Berries to last me for days. I might even make some jam... Anyway, Hoopa sure has seemed a lot friendlier these days, hasn’t it? I think it’s been having lots of fun interacting with us. Maybe that’s why it’s been bringing all sorts of surprises into our world. Who knows—you might be able to catch it now!

Wow, TRAINER! I can't believe you caught Hoopa! Normally I’d say we’re done with our research, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Hoopa continued to cause mischief. It seems there’s still much for us to learn about this Pokémon! By the way, I’ve noticed that some Psychic-type Pokémon have been appearing around my lab. Could Hoopa’s presence be the cause? Perhaps we’ll be able to use this as an opportunity to research Psychic-type Pokémon, including Hoopa. I’ll have to investigate this phenomenon further, and I’ll let you know when I’ve learned more. Until next time!

Hey there, TRAINER! I’ve noticed an increase in the number of Psychic-type Pokémon appearing around my mobile lab of late. Whenever something like this happens, I can’t help but get excited about researching the cause! As you may recall, the Mythical Pokémon Hoopa is a Psychic and Ghost type. I have a hunch its recent appearances might be causing the uptick in Psychic-type Pokémon in these parts. What’s more, I believe we may be able to learn more about Hoopa by researching other Psychic-type Pokémon. There’s one in particular that’s caught my attention: Inkay. My colleague in the Kalos region told me that Inkay is known as the Revolving Pokémon, and that it evolves in a unique way. I’m ashamed to say I’ve forgotten the details, but I do remember him saying “upside-down” several times during his explanation. If only I could remember why... Maybe it’s my one-track mind speaking, but I immediately think of Hoopa when I hear “upside-down”—because its appearance turned our world right on its head! Haha!

Hey, Trainer! Have you noticed that Hoopa has continued to cause mischief? Its tricks are always unexpected, but I do feel like Hoopa’s brought some welcome color to our lives. Speaking of colorful things, I’ve heard reports that there’s a certain Pokémon nearby that’s known to have multiple appearances. Keep your eyes peeled for me, won’t you? In the meantime, I’m going to analyze everything we’ve learned about Psychic-type Pokémon thus far. Hopefully it’ll point us in the right direction to continue our research on Pokémon forms—and Hoopa!

Hey there, TRAINER! I’ve noticed that some Pokémon wearing costumes have been appearing around my lab lately. Isn’t it fun to change up your look every once in a while? Speaking of, have you encountered any Furfrou yet? Also known as the Poodle Pokémon, Furfrou is famous for the variety of looks it can achieve when a Trainer trims its coat—10 in all! Why don’t we stay on the lookout for Furfrou and see if we can learn more about changing its appearance? Who knows—maybe we’ll learn more about other Pokémon along the way!

Great job catching that Furfrou, Trainer! Did you know there are also other Pokémon that’re known to change their appearance? That includes one we’ve spent a lot of time researching lately: Hoopa. Hoopa is known to have two forms. So far, you and I have seen it as Hoopa Confined, but I hear its power increases astronomically when it becomes Hoopa Unbound. I wonder if we’ll ever get to witness it ourselves. I suppose all we can do for now is continue our research. In fact, Blanche has been receiving reports of some spooky occurrences out in the field. We’re not quite sure what the cause is, but like all things lately, we can’t rule out Hoopa’s involvement. Hoopa’s no stranger to mischief, and you never know how it’ll use its rings next, so I think further investigation is in order. I’ll be sure to share more details with you when I have them, TRAINER. Now, let’s GO!

Hey there, TRAINER! It’s so good to see you again, even if under these odd circumstances. It appears that some spooky Pokémon have begun appearing nearby! Where do they come from? Why are they here? Perhaps this is Hoopa’s doing? It’s loops are known for having the ability to transport Pokémon and people to different places. After all, we strongly suspect that it’s the cause of all of those Legendary Pokémon appearing during Pokémon GO Fest 2021, as well as the cause of Pokémon from the Galar region appearing too. Maybe by learning more about what’s going on with these Pokémon, we can learn more about Hoopa!

Thank you for doing that investigative research, Trainer. Suffice to say, I think that some of these spooky occurrences are still happening. Maybe this is the perfect time for us to learn more about Ghost-type Pokémon? Hopefully you’re not too scared, TRAINER — it will be a scary good time!

… BOO! Ha ha, did I scare you? Spooky tidings unto you and your Pokémon! Let's continue our investigations into the spooky occurrences that have been happening! No dark forests that you’ll be required to traipse through, I believe. Oh, but that reminds me—I was doing some research near a forest lately and stumbled on a strange looking tree. I’ve learned my lesson around strange trees, that sometimes they’re not even trees at all—like Sudowoodo! I stepped closer to observe this tree but then it turned around and its singular red orb of an eye stared straight into mine! I quickly realized that this was a Trevenant, the Elder Tree Pokémon, and it was assessing whether I was friend or foe! After all, it will trap people who harm the forest, so they can never leave. It must have sensed that I was just there for research because it turned back around and ignored me. Its attention then returning to the many smaller Phantump that were surrounding its feet. I realized then that it was harvesting berries from trees and feeding them! To the creatures dwelling in the forest, it’s known to offer great kindness. It was really a sight to see. Ghost-type Pokémon often seem frightening upon first glance, but can be full of surprises. I wonder what surprises Hoopa might have in store for us as a fellow Ghost-type Pokémon? Perhaps there’s more to it than just its mischief. Maybe we’ll find some answers after we conduct some research on Ghost-type Pokémon!

Great work, TRAINER! Be sure to check back later for more research. As we close out our spooky investigations, I have a feeling that there are some bright things on the horizon for us to explore soon—together!

Well hello, TRAINER! Welcome back. It’s around this time of year that nights in the Northern Hemisphere begin growing longer and longer. The sun shines brighter while it’s up, though, so it’s a pretty fair trade! If you ask me, this is a prime opportunity to ponder the power of light and darkness—both literally and metaphorically. I wonder what darkness our little friend Hoopa has had to overcome? I have a feeling its mischievous reputation may hang over it like a shadow at times. What’s more, I can’t help but wonder how and why its power was confined. Pokémon are an endless source of mystery. We may never know all their secrets, but it’s a researcher’s job to shine a light into the darkest depths of the unknown and illuminate whatever answers we can! For me, darkness is an opportunity to learn something new. To make discoveries! We’ve learned so much about Hoopa in our research, and in some ways, I think we may have learned a bit about ourselves, too. But enough of my rambling! How about you head on out there and enjoy the light, TRAINER? You’ve earned it.

I’m glad to see you again, Trainer! I was out on a walk and got to thinking about your journey with Hoopa thus far. It seems that Hoopa’s really taken a shine to you. Do you think it may show us more of its power soon? A professor can dream, I suppose. Why don’t you check back again in a bit, TRAINER, after you’ve spent a tad more time with Hoopa.

I’m glad to see you, TRAINER. I wish I had better news, but it looks like Team GO Rocket is stirring up trouble once again! While out on patrol, Spark and Candela overheard some Team GO Rocket Grunts discussing the organization’s next move. They want to capture Hoopa! It seems their orders came straight from Giovanni himself. I shudder to think that all this time Giovanni may have been lurking in the shadows just behind us, reaping the benefits of our research. Scheming as we studied Hoopa... There’s no time to lose—we have to stop them! Hoopa Unbound is incredibly powerful, and I have no doubt that Giovanni intends to use it for some sinister purpose. You know better than most, TRAINER: Hoopa may be capable of terrifying things, but it’s still a Pokémon. It must be protected! We’ve also gotten word that Giovanni has turned another Legendary Pokémon into a Shadow Pokémon! The team leaders and I will do what we can, but we’ll need your help if we’re to defeat Giovanni, save the Legendary Shadow Pokémon, and keep Hoopa safe.

Incredible work, TRAINER! You’ve successfully defeated Team GO Rocket yet again and saved another Legendary Shadow Pokémon—and Hoopa, too! Speaking of Hoopa, I have a sneaking suspicion that because of your kindness, we might just be lucky enough to witness it as Hoopa Unbound someday soon. What a sight that will be, eh? We’ve come a long way in our research, and unlocking Hoopa’s true power may be the final trial in this mysterious saga. Are you ready, Trainer? Let’s GO!

Release hsitory
Misunderstood Mischief was divided into eight releases, with two parts becoming available each.
 * Part 1: Start of Season of Mischief
 * Part 3: Hoopa's Arrival
 * Part 5: Psychic Spectacular 2021
 * Part 7: Fashion Week 2021
 * Part 9: Halloween 2021 part 1
 * Part 11: Halloween 2021 part 2
 * Part 13: Festival of Lights
 * Part 15: A Looming Shadow Returns!