From: Jose L. Solano (jsolano199@aol.comlink) Subject: [PW!] VSU-0003, Not Who I Used to Be Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2001-03-13 19:00:06 PST Pokewars: VSU-0003 "Greetings, Friend" Jose L. Solano Click. Click. Click. Click. Whrrrrrrrrrr. "Dammit, it's doing it again," he said to himself. He quickly stomped on the ground, and the clicking stopped. His leg, being entirely mechanical, had a tendency to malfunction. It had been several days since he had serviced it, and he was overdue for another tune-up. He once again checked his files. Yes, this was it. He stood before a large two-story house. He doubled checked the visual file. Yes, a perfect match. "Two adults, one child," he thought to himself. "Too fucking easy." He had been calling himself VSU-0003 for the better part of five years. This was the number etched onto the side of his left forearm. "You are not VSU-0003," a voice in his head told him. "I am VSU-0003. I have no name." Yet he did have a name. The one his master had given him fifteen years ago. "But my master is dead," VSU-0003 said to himself. "He died a long time ago..." He shook his head. He didn't want to remember his master. It was time to concentrate on the mission at hand. He pushed both of his forearms against the side of the house and extended two six inche blades from either forearm. He began to climb up, aided by the blades and the talons on his feet. He reached a window. Inside was a crib. And inside the crib, a baby. "Perfect," he thought. He didn't bother trying to be silent. He crashed through the window, rolled into a ball, the armor on his quills tearing up the carpet as he rolled across the room. He quickly stood up. The baby was already crying, having been awakened by the noise. "That's right, wake your parents," VSU-0003 whispered. He retracted his blades and gently picked up the wailing child. He held him close to his chest and waited. "Hey! Who are you?! What are you doing with my baby?!" said the mother, Jessie. VSU-0003's file told him that the father's name was Nick, though he was absent. Probably still asleep, VSU-0003 thought to himself. VSU-0003's left forearm opened, and a linked metal tendril shot out, wrapping around Jessie. "Now listen here, Jessie," VSU-0003 said, "I'll give your baby back. All I want in return is five million dollars." "Five million? Bu-" "No excuses! I want the money on your doorstep by midnight tomorrow, and don't even try to call the police, you'll just be wasting my time!" VSU-0003 released Jessie and jumped out the window and dashed into the bushes, where he jumped into an underground tunnel he had made beforehand. Just to make sure they wouldn't follow him, he had made a network of tunnels, most leading to dead ends. Only he knew the correct path. Once he emerged, he set the baby down on a pile of blankets. A Skarmory sat perched on a pipe nearby. "<Are you sure you have the right one?>" the Skarmory asked. "They'll have the money ready by midnight tomorrow. Then comes step two." "<Step two?>" "Completion, you idiot. When I finally get rid of these mechanical parts, I'll be worthy of my true name." "<Your true name?>" "Ashura." ------------------------------- Gasp! It's Ashura! Ashura's master is dead? When did this happen? Why is my attempt to build suspense at the end of the post not working?