From: lordlocke@my-deja.com (lordlocke@my-deja.com) Subject: Re: [PW!] [LEAGUE] [ATTN: Catgonk, LordLocke, Dernam's Author] I'm Leaving... Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2000/03/04 > Andrew dialed his resignation in, and sighed. Then he went to his backpack and > pulled out the locket his mom had given him for his 10th birthday. "Numquam > depono - Nullus refert pretium," it said. "Never give up, no matter what the > cost," written in the best Latin she could muster. > > 'Heh..."Numquam depono," indeed.' Andrew stood for a minute, then threw the > locket out...> "OW!" Andrew looked outside the window to see Mara, who HAD been reading a book, clutching her head. "Eh, sorry about that." Mara picked up the locket. "What did ya throw this at me for?" He shrugged. "Eh, I was trying to get rid of it. I didn't know you were right outside the window." Mara examined it for a moment. "Wow, this thing's beautiful. It even has an inscription... eh, looks greek to me." "Latin, and you can have it. I don't deserve it anyways." Mara looked at Andrew like he had grown horns and fangs (Well, maybe not fangs. Gads had them, and they looked rather nice on him, after all.) "What are you talking about? You're probably one of the best all-around people I know." "I haven't lived up to the inscription. It says Numquam depono - Nullus refert pretium, meaning never give up, no matter what the cost." Andrew lowered his head. He could just see her berating him for giving up... "That a stupid motto anyways." Mara said off-handedly. Andrew's eyes snapped open. "Stupid MOTTO? I've lived up to that motto for MOST OF MY LIFE! I give up on it now, and you say it's a STUPID MOTTO?" Mara shrugged. "Well, yeah. 'Never give up, no matter what the cost.' That's fighting just like you always have nothing to lose." "Well, those who have nothing to lose tend to win more often." Mara shook her head. "Think about this: The person who has nothing to lose has nothing to protect, and everything to destroy. They have no worry about the results of their actions, as long as it GAINS them something. Now, if you fight that way while you DO have something to lose, you could end up losing everything. You SHOULD never give up. At least, not while the cost of defeat is more then the cost of victory." "Victory has a price?" "Yes. The price of victory comes through your actions. If you sacrifice everything you have, just so you can win, is it a fight worth winning?" Andrew paled. Had THAT been on the road he was on? "Remember, even if you DO lose everything else, you will ALWAYS have me on your side. And as long as you have that, you haven't lost everything, ok?" Andrew nodded. "Good. Now, take this back." Mara handed him the locket. "But you said..." "Inscriptions can always be changed or removed. Besides, it IS a nice locket. Pity to lose it just because you've given up once." Mara smiled, then turned back to her book. "What is that you're reading, anyways?" "Eh, just something my mom slipped into my backpack when I wasn't looking." "Ah." With that, Andrew ducked his head back inside the cabin. Mara turned a page in her book. "Mom never learns. First romance novels, and now '101 Way to Let a Man Know Without Telling It Straight.' Lessie... #42: Tell them that they'll never have nothing to lose, because they'll always have you..." Mara turned beet- red. "Oops..." TBC? From your friendly, neighborhood LORDLOCKE