From: Roland Le Good (roland@minuet.demon.co.uk) Subject: [PW!] Boulder than ever part 2 Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2000/03/22 Part 2: " RAAAAAA!" The Onix stretched higher, dust and sand fell from some cracks between its boulder like body segments. It roared at Caleb and Ilanna. " YYYAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!" Caleb fired 3 shots through reflex. They pinged off the tough Onix's body. " CALEB! We're here to catch it not kill it!" Caleb was running for the exit. Ilanna thought it would be wise to follow. Outside Mount Moon they caught their breath. " What-huff- are you-huff-trying to-huff-do?" Ilanna panted. " Y'know, about my fear off-huff- Onix..." " So, you should be more careful! I thought you were the mighty Caleb! Killer of men scared of no-one! Out there in Pewter a little boy is crying 'cos you are too scared to face your fear and get his Onix. Come on, prove yourself. You're gonna go in there and catch that Onix and when you come out you'll be better and boulder than ever," Caleb didn't realise the pun. " You're right, I'll go. I have to for that little kid and- HEY! That was a lame joke!" Caleb put his gun away and marched into the cave. " Come on little Onix...where are you?" He crept forward as a man might who knew he was about to get shot, but he didn't know where from. It's only an Onix, it's only a giant stone snake, around 30ft high, made from some of the toughest rock found on Earth and able to crush Caleb without thinking about it, tsch, what was he worried about... " Raaaaa...." Caleb heard the groaning from the shadows. He span around and saw the Onix again. It raised itself high and glared at him. " Don't worry Onix, I'm here to help!" The Onix roared and wrapped Caleb up in its tail and slowly began crushing him. Caleb struggled to get free. As he hung there, being crushed his last thoughts weren't about his family, enticeing him away, and he wasn't upset he hadn't asked Julia out in year 8, his last thoughts were, surprisingly; OH MY GOD! I'M GOING TO DIE! Come on Caleb, think! What would make an Onix so mad it would want to kill you? Let's see, how did it escape...a burglary, so it could be looking for the crooks... " NO! WAIT! I'M NOT THE THIEF!" The Onix stopped crushing Caleb and let him breath. " Iwaaa?" It asked. " No -gasp- it's ok! I'll help you find the thieves. Did they steal any other Pokemon?" The Onix nodded. " OK, I think I may know who it might be... did they come here?" " RAAAAA!" " OK...CARVER!" Caleb called out. " I EXPECT YOU CAN HEAR ME!" The cry echoed around the cavern. " COME OUT AND FACE US!" He glanced at the Onix. " RRAAAAAAAA!" " Well said..." A slow, lone, hard clapping was heard. Carver emerged from the shadows. " Hello Caleb, old boy. Nice of you to find me," Carver wore his nasty grin. He had two grenades and a magnum strapped to his belt. " Carver! You stole the pokemon! Give them back!" " Well, after you put me away I needed more Pokemon! But these are pathetic anyway, keep these, they are my first gift to you..." " What?" " CALEB!" Ilanna came running into the cave. " Huh?" He span around and didn't notice Carver pull the gun from his belt. " This is my second!" He fired the gun. Caleb spun around again and Carver missed Caleb. Caleb drew his gun in an instant, but Carver threw a grenade and smoke filled the cave, when it cleared Carver had gone. " DAMN!" Caleb turned coughing to fce Ilanna. She was on the floor, hurt. Carver must've hit her instead of Caleb. He ran to her side. " Ilanna! NO!" the wound was in her stomach, she was bleeding badly. " ONIX! Come here! Take us to a hospital NOW!" They climbed on and Caleb grabbed the Pokeballs. Caleb hated hospitals, everytime he went to one someone died. He didn't want Ilanna to die, not like this, not at all. After two hours a doctor came out of Ilannas room. " Is she going to be OK? Tell me straight, how is she?" " Well, the gunshot is easy to mend, but there is something else..." " WHAT?!" " Calm down sir. The bullet contained a special poisen, used mainly by the US army. It will take a long time to kill her, but we can't treat it. I suspect the person who had the poisen also has the cure," " Carver..." That bastard. It wasn't enough he had tried to kill him, he had to take Ilanna too. Well, if Carver had the antidote then Caleb would find him, he would chase him to the ends of the earth and get Ilanna the cure. " I estimate she has about two weeks to live..." " That's all I need..." He went in to see Ilanna. " Caleb, I'm glad to see you! Did the boy get his Onix?" " Yeah, that's all sorted out..." Caleb tried to turn away. " Caleb what's wrong? You-you're crying? Why? What's going on?" Caleb's eyes began to water, " You were shot, with a poisen of some kind. Only Carver has the antidote now..." " Well go and find him! NOW!" " It's not that simple! I...I love you Ilanna. And if I fail now..." Ilanna blinked back tears... " Oh, Caleb... NO! You won't fail! You have never failed!" " I have...once...A long time ago..." " Listen to me, you are the best damn bounty hunter I've ever met. Now if you can't do your job, no matter what the risk then I wouldn't want to be saved, Carver will have already won, go, now and find him!" Caleb swallowed. He wiped the tear from his eye and stood up. He lifted his hat from the bedside table and put in on. For a moment he stood in the doorway, silouhetting the light, he began to turn but stopped midway. He looked away and walked out of the door...