From: Bandraptor <bandraptor@aol.com> Subject: [PW!] On the road to...Vermilion City! Date: Thursday, January 20, 2000 4:57 AM <That's right!> Blizzard announced, cheerfully, <First star to the south, and straight on until morning! ...Either that, or north by northeast.> The snowy white Persian flicked her tail impatiently, upon hearing her companions' groans. <Purr...unless one of YOU has a better idea?> Two Eevee, a Raichu, a Persian, and a lone human named Orion, were seated in a loose semicircle, just past the Cerulean City border. The so-called Pokémon Pack was short one member, but this didn't seem to affect their overall volume. "Rai." <I have one.> Samuraichu offered, <We wait here, until White Blade returns. And if he doesn't come back by nightfall, we set up a search party.> "We haven't seen him or Draconi, since we left Mt. Moon..." Orion added. "I hope nothing bad's happened to them...after all, a Clefable and a Dragonite walking around without a trainer--they're practically inviting people to capture them!" "Bui, bui," <Good thing we have you around, to throw those nasty trainers off!> Keri hopped onto Orion's shoulder, and nuzzled his head playfully. <Not that I have anything against trainers, having been one myself; but I sure wouldn't want to get captured by one!> "BUI!" Darwin shot Keri a withering glare. It was difficult for him to display anger towards a female Eevee--especially one as cute as Keri--but her show of affection towards Orion made the job a little easier. <So, it's okay for humans to make slaves of Pokémon, just so long as you aren't targeted! How...how...utterly selfish of you! Can't you see, it's wrong to make any Pokémon fight for a cause that they don't believe in? And I can assure you, most Pokémon don't believe in the principles of the Pokémon League, which is what endeavors to make them slaves in the first place!> Blizzard stomped on the Eevee's head, cutting his rant short. <Darwin, Darwin, Darwin... and the rest of you, for that matter... as usual, you're missing the point entirely. That point being, none of this brings me any closer to receiving my Thunder Badge, or the Technical Machine which is known as 'Mjolnir'.> Blizzard pronounced that last word very carefully. Now that she knew the proper name for the TM which taught Thunderbolt, she'd be sure to use it! <Besides, Keri made a good point, whether she was aware of it or not: We are four rare, highly priced Pokémon, and one human who is invaluable, due to his uncanny ability to understand Poké Speak. I think it's best that we keep moving, to minimize our chances of being cornered by...undesirables, trainer or non.> TBC... -Beth, of the ever changing sig. Holder of 15 Zeni Points! And 20 Kanji Moder Points! (whatever those are) http://members.aol.com/bandraptor