From: Jose L. Solano (jsolano199@aol.comlink) Subject: [PW!] Once you start down the dark path... Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2000/05/06 Pokewars: Trent Retwin "Once you start down the dark path... (aka Two posts in one night!)" Jose L. Solano "Damn you, Lance," a ten-year-old Trent said as he watched his childhood rival leave in a helicopter to Pallet town to start his training with his newly-acquired Dratini. Ashura, Trent's Sandshrew, stood by his side. "He always thought he was better than me. We'll show him, Ashura! We'll show him just how strong we are!" ---------------------------------------------------------- "You got lucky and defeated him." "Luck had nothing to do with it." "Have you not met several childhood... 'friends' recently?" the dark figure asked. "Yes, I have. Random, Hotaru and Arcturus." "Have they not drastically changed since you remember them?" "Yes. Random was the kid I used to take my anger out on. I found him drunk and this very ship a year ago." "Really?" The dark figure stepped forward slightly. "And what about Arcturus?" "He's changed. He's no longer the bald midget everyone teased. He's... he's a monster." "You're kidding?" The dark figure leaned forward. "And Hotaru?" "Hotaru married Lance, and now she's almost as miserable as I am." "You don't say!" The dark figure was now standing a foot away from Trent. "But now, she is your friend, is she not?" "No. Hotaru is not my friend, she never has been. She's just an ally." The dark figure gave a slighty chuckle. "Shall I continue?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------- "I can't believe it," Samantha Retwin said. "My little Jacob's going to college!" "Mom, why does Jake have to go?" Trent asked. "Because, Ian," Samantha explained, "He's all grown-up. He can't depend on me anymore, and has to go off to start his career." "What's he gonna be?" "I'm gonna be a Pokémon Researcher, little bro!" Jake yelled happily from across the house. He stepped out of his room, carrying a duffel bag. Trent, Jake and Samantha walked out of the house. Jake tossed his bag into the passenger's seat of a small, blue car he had recently bought. Samantha gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Goodbye, Jacob. Good luck." Jake smiled and drove off. ------------------------------------------------------------- "It seems your brother had a much better chance at life." "Yes, he did. He always had a better chance of everything." "Is it not true that your mother loved him more?" Trent was silent, but after a few moments he reluctantly answered. "Yes, she did. She never admitted it, but I could always tell. Whenever he was around, she was happy. Whenever he he got a high grade in school, she would praise him. She even accepted his first Pokémon, while Ashura was treated as nothing but trash that happened to follow the younger, insignificant son home." "Was Jacob's first Pokémon not a Pikachu?" "Yes. Jake started with a Pikachu. I hated it, and since then I've grown to hate every Pikachu, regardless of its nature."