From: Bandraptor (bandraptor@aol.com) Subject: [PW!] A Rook and a Hard Place Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2000-11-13 02:22:49 PST The sun is slowly rising over Fuchsia City, its beams reflecting off the wavecaps, and its heat driving Spearows and Caterpie from their nighttime hideaways. The most industrious fishermen are already docking their boats, bringing their early morning hauls into town, to sell at market. At the northernmost edge of the city, an old man is fumbling with the keys to the gate of the Safari Zone, and grumbling that he needs a vacation. Sharing a border with the Safari Zone is its sponsored Pokémon Preserve, and north of that is an inconspicuous, but heavily fenced in compound. The denizens of this habitat are also waking up; with the exception of one Dodrio, who doesn't need to, as it has been awake all night. Cerberus the Dodrio leaps over a moss covered log, then uses its powerful, clawed feet to half climb, half run up the face of a chain link fence. It leaps over to the other side, ducking its heads, and bending its knees to brace for impact. Once it has landed, it recovers, straightening out its legs, and raising its heads to their full heights; but one neck remains hanging limply at its side, the brain that controls that head having spent all its energy to create the Substitute decoy that facilitated their escape. The middle head leans in, and gives the fainted left head three sharp pecks, in an attempt to wake it. When this yields no results, it turns to the right head, who simply shrugs in response. The middle head appears pensive, and it rolls its eyes about in all directions, contemplating its next move. Finally, it screeches its name, and the bird continues off into the woods. * * * *SHWAP* *SHWAP* Nori is awkwardly hacking a trail through the thick foliage around her, using a machete that appears to have been cut from a Scyther blade. "It's a good thing..." she yawns between slashes, "...I found this..." *SHWAP* "...in that storage shed..." *SHWAP* "...we passed through..." *SHWAP* "...a while back." Rubix is walking some distance behind her, having commented that he trusts her with a weapon, like he trusts Joel Schumacher with a Zubatman movie, "You mean the one with all the jeeps and mopeds?" "Yup." Nori puts the machete down, and leans against it for support. "It was right next to the warp tile marked 'To Fuchsia'." Rubix scowls, "Tell me again, why exactly did we choose wandering around lost in the woods, over letting that old coot wine and dine us all the way to Fuchsia?" "You know the old saying about how you can pick your friends but you can't pick your relatives? I'm willing to take the axiom a step further: You can't pick your relatives, but you CAN pick the relatives of other people that you're gonna mooch off'a." Nori smirks, "Also, I wanted to make a break for it, before Guildenstern realized that I stole his little toy." She pulls the golden headband from her pocket, and holds it up in the air triumphantly. The Wartortle backs away, "You're not plannin' to use that thing on ME, are you?!?" Nori twirls the band about on her finger, says, "I don't know," and grins in a manner that suggests she actually does. Rubix sweatdrops, but crosses his arms, and calmly responds, "I'm not worried. That device was tested to control Dodrio brains. I bet it doesn't even affect other Pokémon." "Wanna find out?" Nori dangles the band in front of his face. "..." "Heh." Nori smiles innocently, and pockets the device again. "It's okay. I wasn't really going to use the band on you. You may be a disobedient jackass, but hey, at least I know what to expect from you. Anything else at this point would just be weird..." She thinks this over, then frowns, and walks away. "..." Rubix blinks several times in succession, then starts after her, growling, "Say what you will. I trust you with that device, like I trust Kathy Lee Gifford with a group of migrant workers!" * * * Arcanine. Arcanine. The word echoes through the mind of the old father, filling him with rage. He knows the word of course, has used it himself on occasion....but never before has it sounded so foul. He stalks through the forest on his padded paws. These woods had been difficult to access. They were surrounded by one of the flimsy walls of metal brambles so often erected around human establishments...but while these brambles lacked thorns, every time a member of the pack attempted to scale them, they were met with what felt like thousands of tiny bee stings. Far be it for any human invention to act as a deterrent, he had simply ordered his two youngest children to dig under the wall, and they had entered the compound that way. The first-born daughter had been in awe at the beauty of these woods. She professed that they were perfect for a new den, as there were many hiding places, and suitable prey animals all around. She went so far as to say that, if the others wished to continue their search for the human who had knowledge of their race, they should go on without her, for she intended to stay here, and birth her cubs. The father had quickly objected, for beneath the scent of unspoiled wilderness was the hot stench of machinery--a sure sign that men were hiding someplace near. Furthermore, he told her, nature should not be discounted as a mere object of beauty--it is a complex system of balances, and until she realizes that, he cannot in good conscience permit her to set out on her own. The old father wags his tail in contemplation. Nature is, of course, a system of checks and balances, but he is fairly certain that it favors his kind. Even though they were born into darkness, according to the ancient legends; Nature always provided for them, raining down food from her skies whenever they felt pangs of hunger. Their race is cut from the elements themselves...Fire gave them solid bodies that could shoulder the force of any blow; Water gave them speedy limbs, which allowed them the ability to flow smoothly and stealthily, or to crash down upon their enemies like a tsunami. Lightning gave them powerful, crushing jaws, which contained teeth that tore into the opponent like thunderbolts. In ancient times, they were known as the Rai-kun-en; but this name was translated and retranslated, to "future-nine-en," then "past-nine-en," and finally to "archa-nine-en". Arcaninen. He knows this, and his children know this; but could it be possible that the human knows this as well? The old father Arcaninen grits his teeth, if so, then the situation is more severe than he could ever have imagined. He calls his children to his side. "This is crucial," he explains, "The first time she was cautions, and the second time she was suspicious. This time, she will be prepared. Next time will be too late." He tells his children that humans are not always the unaware weaklings that they are accustomed to hunting. Humans can be intelligent, and they possess a degree of intelligence that they as Arcaninen cannot even begin to comprehend. While he and his mate had recognized the benefits of raising their children in an abandoned human shelter, only humans could think to build these shelters in the first place. He tells his children that they underestimated the human two times past. They dared to assume that only one of them would be capable of downing her. Today that will not happen. Today, he will throw caution into the wind, and the entire pack will hit her with the combined force of all their powers. If anyone witnesses the attack, so be it...they will eliminate them as well, but first they must deal with this immediate threat. * * * "...It's...beautiful." "Breathtaking." "Magical." "Awe inspiring." Exhausted after their night-long trek through the woods, Nori and Rubix can do little but stare into the Safari Zone. The famed Pokémon Preserve may hold nothing but the promise of a life in captivity for its residents; but to the girl and her Wartortle it represents freedom--it borders on the edge of the compound, and once they step over that border, they will be free. Free from the fear of being lost, free from the threat of Hammet and Rose's retaliation. "What'd I tell ya?" Nori twirls the machete around, "I told you I'd find it. I told you I could get us through those woods without getting lost. What do you say now, oh ye of little faith?" "Too bad about the 20 foot fence!" "Hrrm, point taken. Any thoughts?" Rubix shrugs, "It doesn't look very sturdy. Maybe you can cut through it with that machete of yours." "I think it's electrified..." "No it isn't!" "Yes it is, there's a big red sign on the side of the fence that says, 'DO NOT TOUCH--10,000 volts'." "That's just there to keep kids from climbin' on it. Go on, cut it!" Nori stares at the fence apprehensively, then nudges it with the metal scythe. ZAP! She falls to the ground, smoking. "What did I just say?!?" "Oops, my bad." Rubix grins sadistically, "Guess I owe you a pop." "Oh, I'll pop you one, you little..." Nori snarls, climbing to her feet, "Hey, look! It's Andrew's Charizard!" "WHERE?!?" "Kidding. Now shut up, and let me think. I don't suppose you could use your Water Gun to short out that fence?" "Well, I'd *love* to use my Water Gun right about now...but I'm fresh out of Water Gun PP." "How about Bubble Beam?" Nori queries. "Bubble Beam?" "You know how to use Bubble Beam, don't you? You just pucker up your lips, and blow." "Bubble Beam sucks. I overwrote it with Submission a long time ago, it has such a more masculine connotation." "Stop wasting TMs!" Nori cries, "Disobedient Pokémon don't deserve TMs. I was going to use Submission on Akuni, since he does whatever I want!" "Dominatrix." "Of all the rotten luck." Nori paces back and forth in front of the fence, "The Safari Zone is right *there*. If only I could get in there and catch a Rhyhorn, we could have it ground out this fence, so we could escape...maybe if we just sit here looking sad, someone will feel sorry for us, and come over to help." "That's pretty chancy..." They both slump to the ground. A Chansey hops up to the fence, and tingles a bell above their heads, so as to wake them. "All right, look." Nori gets to her feet, "So we hit a dead end. No big deal. We know this is the perimeter wall, so all we need to do now is follow it, until we find our way back to the front entrance." "You have no idea how large this compound is, do you?" "Do we have any other choice?" Nori sighs, and begins to walk. "Okay, so maybe running off into the forest in the dead of night wasn't one of my best ideas. But think about it this way...once I get this miracle device of Rose's back to headquarters, I'm sure to be promoted. I'll get a bonus, and maybe I'll finally have enough money to buy us all food, for a change. You may not agree with my methods, but I can't imagine that you enjoy going hungry, either. Oh, and getting back to what I was saying earlier--" "Nori?" "Stop going through my stuff. You may be enamored with the idea of TMing yourself up into some sort of uber-Pokémon, but I'm not, and--" "Nori?" "This may come as a surprise, but Technical Machines don't grow on trees. They cost money, and considering how little of that I have right now, I'd appreciate it if you didn't--" "NORI!!" "WHAT?!?" "Um...watch where you're walking?" He gestures towards a large Dodrio, who seems a trifle unhappy, after having its feet crunched underneath Nori's boots. Nori quickly steps away from the Dodrio, who is so shocked by her impudence, that it doesn't even think to slaughter her on the spot. It cocks one of its two conscious heads to each side, and for the longest time, the six-foot-tall bird and the eleven-year-old girl simply stare at each other. Finally, Nori feels obligated to break the silence. "So..." she pipes up timidly, "you're Cerberus, aren't you. What are you doing out of your pen? I guess you're trying to find a way out of here, same as we are. I'd suggest teaming up, but judging from the way you acted yesterday, and the way you're staring at me now, I get the impression that you don't like humans very much. So... I'll just leave you alone." She backs up a few steps further, and Cerberus responds by taking one giant step, to match her three small ones. Its two conscious heads narrow their eyes in a menacing manner, and it fans its salmon-colored tail feathers high in the air, in an attempt to make itself look even bigger than it already is. It moves very slowly, as if in a dreamlike state, entranced by Nori's fear; and once it gets close, it plants its giant feet firmly on the ground, and bends its legs at the tarsus, preparing to pounce. "Okay...." Nori addresses Rubix through clenched teeth, not daring to move any more of her mouth than she has to, "I think it's time to RUN!!!!" She grabs him by the arm, and takes off towards the cover of the woods. Cerberus quickly finishes its pounce in an attempt to stop her, but it misses; and with an enraged screech, the bird initiates pursuit. Nori hears it thundering after her, and leans forward, straining to reach the woods, counting the number of steps until she hits the bushes. Suddenly, the bushes explode, as all five Arcaninen come flying at her. The old father commands them quickly--"You, with me! You two, take the beta! And you, the triplehead!" The old father isn't certain that the Dodrio is a follower of the human who must die, but their scents are intermingled, and he will take no chances. At his father's command, the youngest son breaks from the rest of the group, and leaps at the Dodrio's middle neck, aiming to rip its throat out. Cerberus won't stand for that sort of treatment, and the cub is met with a Drill Peck through the skull. The rest of the pack immediately abandons Nori and Rubix, leaping right over their heads, and piling onto the Dodrio with the intent to not only kill, but to scatter its murderous entrails all over the forest. Cerberus retaliates, slashing at the lion dogs with its razor-edged beaks. Not about to balk such an opportunity, Nori and Rubix take off running, deciding to leave the dueling Pokémon to settle their own dispute. From beneath the wrathful Arcaninen, Cerberus notices its prey is escaping, and furious, it whips around, losing large chunks of flesh and feathers in the process, but also shaking the Arcaninen from its body. For a split-second, the Dodrio shimmers like ice, then Cerberus' right head slumps to the side, and the bird takes to the air, leaving a Substitute behind to absorb the Arcaninen's punishment. * * * Nori looks over her shoulder, "Are they following us?" "I don't hear anything..." "Should we keep running?" "Oh, hell yeah!" "I can't believe this..." Nori pants as she runs, "They're trying to kill us!" "Well, duh!" "Well, why?" Nori demands, "We never did anything to them!" "Cerberus probably thinks you're challenging it for its territory." Rubix reasons, "You shouldn't have stepped on its toes, Nori." "I didn't mean to step on anybody's toes! Cerberus can have this whole compound for all I care!" As they pass out of the lush forest, and back into the tall grasses that grow along the border of the compound, Nori slows her pace, and pulls out the machete again. "And, that still does nothing to explain the Arcanine. I refuse to believe those are the same Arcanine from before...there's no way their trainer would've had them chase us THIS far...no one's that obsessed!" She struggles, trying to dislodge the blade from a clump of brambles in which it has become entangled. "Why do all the psycho Pokémon have to seek ME out? Why can't they go chase Sarah Jane, or something?" "Maybe they're drawn by your charming personality..." Rubix mutters sourly. "Why is this happening to me?" Nori wails, "Why are all of the world's Pokémon trying to kill me? Could it be that they know about Starscream, and that Fearow? I wouldn't have though that possible...but there was such a hatred in their eyes. When those Arcanine charged me, their eyes seemed to bore into my soul...and the biggest one gave me the harshest glare, as if to tell me that he had no qualms about killing me, because I deserved to die." She shakes her head, "First Cerberus wants to kill me, and now the Arcanine..." "I'm gonna make it three-for-three, if you don't watch where you're swinging that damn machete!" Rubix ducks his head into his shell, "If those *are* the same Arcanine that we fought the other day, then they must've broken in here somehow. Fortunately, they left 5 sets of pawprints behind. All we have to do is follow these tracks, they'll lead us right to their entrance--and our way out!" "There is no way out." Nori replies, glumly, "Pokémon hate me. They know what I've done, and they hate me for it. There's no such thing as forgiveness, and they'll hunt me to the ends of the Earth. What difference does it make, if I escape today? It'll all catch up to me sooner or later." "Well, if that's the way you feel about it, go ahead and stay here, for all I care. Maybe you'll stall Bird Brain and the Puppy Patrol long enough for *me* to escape." "I can hear Starscream's voice...he's laughing at me." "Unfortunately..." Rubix wilts, "That's no Pidgeot's voice." "What?" Nori stops in mid-swing, and turns to look. Cerberus lets out a pained caw, and drags itself out from the forest behind them, flapping its wings for support. The bird is livid. It can smell blood, and wants desperately to kill the creature that is bleeding--but it cannot, for that creature is itself. It cannot kill itself, but it can kill the human that it set out to kill originally, and it takes some consolation in knowing that its injuries were not taken totally in vain. It screeches its name as a battlecry, and charges towards Nori in a full run. Nori freezes on the spot, unable to run, or duck, or do anything but stare at the Dodrio's one conscious face, which is twisted into an expression of unmatched fury. The bird becomes larger and larger in her field of vision, and she's still unable to run. Finally she just clenches her eyes shut to brace for the blow. The next thing she knows, she's flying through the air, the machete torn from her grasp by the force of the impact. She feels a hot splash of blood hitting her face, and then she crashes to the ground, tumbling several times before coming to a stop in some soft grasses. She remains there for a moment, stunned; and as feeling slowly begins to return to her body, she groans, and opens her eyes halfway. "Am I..?" *THUMP* Cerberus collapses to the ground next to her, bleeding heavily from the gash inflicted after running straight into Nori's machete. Nori stares at the fallen Dodrio for a moment, then pulls herself up to a kneeling position, and carefully prods the Dodrio's middle head with one finger. When this yields no reaction, she does it again. And again. "..." Rubix stares at the Dodrio, dumbfounded. He looks from the Dodrio to Nori, then back to the Dodrio; and then to the bloody machete, which is lying on the ground a few meters away. After a few minutes, he whistles, "Wow. A Pidgeot, a Fearow, and a Dodrio. You're getting good at this." He pauses, waiting for Nori to respond, then adds, "All you need to do now is off a Farfetch'd, and the Legendaries--then you'll have the full set. And Farfetch'd doesn't really count..." He pauses again, frustrated that his accusations aren't provoking Nori in any noticeable way. Still, he covers his disappointment, and presses on, "You know, not just anybody would be able to do what you just did. Most people would be held back by, I dunno...morals. Fortunately, you're able to circumvent that. Congratulations. You're well on your way to becoming a full-fledged, gun-toting murderer. That, or a presidential candidate on the Reform ticket. Hey! Are you even listening to me?" Rubix glowers, remembering that Nori has a tendency to lapse into hysterical trances whenever she's upset about something, "Rubix, Skull Bash!" Nori simply moves her head to the side, to avoid the attack; proving that she is fully cognizant, and causing the Wartortle to go flying into a nearby tree. He comes limping back a few minutes later, and flops down next to her. "'S long as you're gonna be sittin' here for a while, mind if I just go back inside my Pokéball?" "It's odd..." Nori continues to stare at the Dodrio, "I'm not sad. I'm not angry, or frightened, or even remorseful. I certainly don't feel guilty. I...don't feel anything." She looks up, and for a moment, her expression seems almost pained. "Rubix, what's *wrong* with me?" He shrugs, "I would imagine that, after seeing sooooo many Pokémon die, you're starting to get used to it." "Used to it?" "Sure." He folds his arms behind his head, "Happens with everything. Like, the first time you get your tail whipped for losing a battle, it seems like the end of the world; but by the second, or third, or fifth time, it's just another part of everyday life. Same with this. I bet the first time you killed a Pokémon, you felt pretty fucking powerful. The second time it was a rush, and by now, it's been downgraded to a fact. So much the better, I say. Wasting your emotions on the enemy only makes you weak, and wasting your sympathy on a Pokémon makes you a flat out idiot. Any species that's as dependent on humans as Pokémon have become, deserves to die. You're doing the world a favor by killing them." "But I don't *want* to be a Pokémon killer! I don't *want* to get used to seeing them die!" Nori looks like she's about to cry. "Everyone thinks I'm some sort of pitiless murderer...but I'm not...I don't want to be. I've met horrible people on the course of this trip...soulless monsters who think nothing of taking another's life. Spectre...Minax...I don't want to end up like them. I don't want to...but here I am...and another Pokémon's dead because of me! If I can't stop myself from killing Pokémon, then I just want to die myself. I want to die now, before I go too far, and forget that killing Pokémon is wrong. You can kill me, if you want. I won't try to stop you. I know there's nothing I can do to make you stop hating me, but at least this way, you can have your vengeance, and get on with your life." "............................." Rubix turns his back, "Feh. I won't do it if you ASK me to..." "Maybe it's not too late..." Nori gets shakily to her feet, "Maybe, if I can get it to a Pokémon Center..." "Nori, *NO*." Rubix steps in front of her, "Look. I know you're feeling bad about Starscream, but saving the life of a psychotic, feral Dodrio is NOT the best way to redeem yourself!!!" Nori shakes her head slowly. "If I don't do something to help it, that'll only bring me one step closer to becoming something that I don't want to be. Already, two Pokémon have died because of me. I can't let it happen again." She pulls a blue and white Ultra Ball from her backpack, and tosses it at the dying Dodrio. The ball bounces once upon impact, but it makes no movement after that, Cerberus not having anything close to the energy required to break out. Nori walks over to the ball, and picks it up gingerly, holding it cupped in her hands for a moment, before pocketing it. "Come on. Let's get outta here." TBC... -Beth, of the ever changing sig.