From: Cat-Gonk (catgonk@azureheights.com) Subject: [PW!] Lorelei's Farewell (something that was meant to have been posted MONTHS ago). Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2001-07-28 13:18:45 PST [Yes, I was given permission to write this around eight months ago, but it would seem that NONE of the PW!F canon stories made it through. This probably shouldn't be made canon, but I'm posting it anyway, if all else fails it'll NC and wind up in one of my lemons.) ------ Sparkling rays of sunlight glittered onto Lorelei Prima's beautiful white skin as she watched the sun slowly rise from its slumber from the distant shores of the horizon. Her view of the open sea from her Ice Island home was clear and uninterrupted, not even an errant cloud blocked the majestic sight. Her nightgown trailed slightly behind her due to the gentle breeze of the quiet, peaceful morning. "Up so early?" asked a voice from inside. "Watching the sunrise?" "Yes," she replied in her distant, detached voice. "It's so beautiful and still. There are so many problems in life that could be solved simply by people taking the time each day to watch the sun climb to the heavens." She was known for speaking in poetic, meaningful language, though many people would not admit to not having a clue as to the real meanings of her words. Leon Charlesson drew his robe around him and came out to the balcony, putting his arms around her waist. "It sure is beautiful. You don't get this back in Indigo. Even Azure Heights didn't have this sort of a view, back when it was still around." She turned her face towards him, kissing his cheek, before returning her vision to the rising sun. "Are you still upset about what happened at the League?" asked Leon. "They didn't deserve you, you know that, don't you?" ------ "That match was rigged! A Dragonite of equal level simply cannot take a Blizzard from Jynx. It is statistically impossible!" A team of Nurse Joys rushed to Lorelei's side, where she lay on her knees crading the broken body of her Jynx. A Chansey tended to Lapras outside of the ring, and Slowbro had managed to Rest for long enough to regain its ability to stand on its back legs without falling over due to its injuries. "This was a Poke Cup match! He cheated! Lance is packing a Prime Cup team! Come on, he didn't even bother to use assumed names for his Pokemon? What the hell's going on here?" Lorelei was silent, more worried about her Pokemon than her pride. Rather, the torrent of abuse was coming from her coach's box, from the mouth of Leon Charlesson, Pokemon Master. Two security guards were already marching towards him, and his hands were tensed over his Pokebelt. Jynx was seriously wounded. Her spine had been fractured by a ferocious Body Slam, and her ribcage had been crushed flat. After being returned to her Pokeball, a Chansey picked up the red and white sphere, placed it in a large power-charger covered with a glass dome and rushed it to the League Pokecentre for further treatment. The digital healing might have had some effect, but Jynx would need major surgery to repair any permanent damage. "Are you even going to answer me, or what?" Snapping his fingers, Wallace the Mr Mime stepped out from beside Leon, psyching up an attack. Yet Lorelei tended to Lapras, seemingly ignoring the rest of the world, caring not for herself but for her beloved Pokemon, the unwitting victims of selfishness and greed. ------ "I want you to have these." Awestruck, Will took the two Pokeballs from Lorelei's hands, and clipped them onto his belt. "These are Jynx and Slowbro," said Lorelei to her nephew, "two of the Pokemon I used for Elite Four matches. Both of them were beaten heavily by Lance and have lost some power levels from injury, but because they're downgrading the amount of power the Elite Four hold they shouldn't need too much more training." "Why don't you use them?" asked Will. "You're the best trainer in the world! Even Uncle Leon thinks so." "Gender is a device used to disempower half the population," said Lorelei, cryptic as always. "It's up to you to defeat Lance." "I'll give it everything I have. One day, I'll work my way up and become the Champion of the Elite Four!" proclaimed Will. "You won't win through battles," said Lorelei. "The only way you are ever going to beat Lance is through your mind. I know that deep down he's an honourable person, but like all humans he is driven by selfishness and greed. First, you must take them from him, and then you can take his place." Placing his mask over his face, Will gave Lorelei a hug, and entered the huge double-doors of the Indigo Plateau. ------ "Why the Orange Islands? Why don't you stay in Kanto and turn pro? I can't take you on, and I've been at this for a good twenty years more than you." Leon brought out a platter bearing two glasses, a fruit juice cocktail for Lorelei and a dry martini for himself. "People care too much about themselves," said Lorelei, still gazing out into the sunset, "and not about others. The trainers from Johto and Kanto look down on the Orange Islands. It was time for things to move on." "We grew up in the Orange Islands," said Leon, "and no-one's got that mentality on the pro circuit. No-one with any standing, anyhow." "You professionals are only a small selection of the population. It is the masses that need to be taught, not those who have already reached a level of understanding higher than the others." Flicking the hair from her brow, Lorelei turned to face Leon, back resting against the wooden balcony. "A lot of people do not even regard Pokemon as living beings, more as mere toys and playthings to be discarded when they are no longer being used. Our Pokemon are our greatest friends, and we may even be Pokemon ourselves." "But all you've worked for! Everything you had! Are you going to just let that all go?" "No. Nothing will be lost. Everything will be as it should." Lorelei thought only of the big picture, a rising sun over the still sea.