Subject: [PW] Buggy Harvest Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 17:23:47 -0800 From: "Tech Weaver - Biggest Dreamer" <nichirasu@hotmail.com> Organization: CompuServe Interactive Services Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon A shadowy figure stood atop the Goldenrod Radio Tower, poised perfectly atop the giant transmitting antennae. He smirked as the wind blew through his tousled hair. Soon, all the Pokemon in this city will be his. The foolish trainers won't know what hit them once the Masked Rocket struck! Looking up at the sky, he spotted a shooting star streaking through the atmosphere. "Ah, a shooting star," the Masked Rocket said. "Should I wish for something, even though I'm about to have everything I ever wanted? Bwa, ha ha ha ha...!" He pondered that for a moment, as he watched the celestial body flying trough the sky. His face lit up as he thought of something to wish for. "I wish it wasn't headed right for me!" He lost his balance and fell off the tower, just barely avoiding the meteor' s force. He grabbed onto part of the metal structure and hung there as he watched as the object crashed to Earth outside of town. "That's no ordinary meteorite," the Masked Rocket said with amazement. Then his fascination turned to evil machination. "Maybe wishes do come true..." In the area locally referred to as "Sudowoodo Pass," two bizarre creatures considered the next phase of their plan. "You happy now, Keaton?" Kistu the were-Ninetails asked. "We took the long way around so you could avoid going to Goldenrod and now it's almost midnight!" "I don't want Famifax thinking that I'm risking life and limb just to see her," Keaton the mino-Tauros replied. "So instead you're risking life and limb to avoid her." "Exactly." "Maybe you should've told her the truth." "I'd rather not excite the wrath of a hyper-active, obsessive, and quite possibly insane shape-shifter, thank you very much." "When you put it like that, I think you two would've made a cute couple." "Oh, ha ha." The sky suddenly lit up as an object hurtled through the atmosphere and smashed into the Earth. "Looks like it landed outside the National Forest," Kitsu said. "Should we check it out instead of heading for Eckruteak?" "Might be a good idea," Keaton said. "Comet's are always a sign of disaster." The next morning, Mamoru, Yolei, and Lynkeru (with her fairy Indi) stepped out of the Goldenrod Pokemon Center and set out for the next town. "I can't believe I only got five stitches," Lynkeru said. "I'm surprised you didn't break anything," Yolei said. "That Tauros went crazy on you!" "I think you're lucky to be alive," Mamoru said. "Binky nearly killed you yesterday." "Binky," said Yolei. "Who names a Tauros 'Binky'?" "What kind of Gym Leader cries after they lose a match?" Lynkeru asked. "That's what I want to know." "Maybe she hasn't been one very long," Mamoru suggested. "Or maybe she's really attached to her Pokemon." "But if she loves them that much, why even fight with them?" Lynkeru pondered. "I don't know," Yolei replied. "Maybe being a Gym Leader means something even greater to her. There was once this army general that said that to protect what you love, you must also be willing to sacrifice what you love. So maybe the question is 'Who are we to put our Pokemon in danger like that? ' What kind of Pokemon trainer *wouldn't* cry when their Pokemon are hurt?" "Ledi," the Ledian clinging to the back of Lynkeru's head noted. "Yeah," Mamoru said. The trio walked down the main street in silence. It was early in the morning, and the side shows and such were getting ready for the day. The adventurers watched as they passed by, but did not stop for long. They were on their way to the next town. "So, what's in Eckru- ACK!" Lynkeru's question was interrupted as she tripped over a slow-moving Pokemon crossing the street. "Watch where you're going!" the smaller Pokemon riding it said. "Sorry," Lynkeru said as she got up. "I guess I..." The small Pokemon didn't wait for a reply. Instead, she froze Lynkeru in a solid block of ice then yelled at her ride to move faster. "Someone's not a morning person," Mamoru noted. "Was that a talking Smoochum riding that Magcargo?" Yolei asked. Having broken out of the ice, Lynkeru replied, "Sure, why not? You got talking Dittos, Dragonites and Bellsprouts. Brrrr... Let's get moving so I can warm up." "You were just frozen in a block of ice," Mamoru pointed out. "Doesn't that concern you?" "Believe me, the novelty wears off after the first few times," Lynkeru answered. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that if it can freeze you solid, don't let it breath on you, don't touch it, and definitely don't put your tongue on it. So what's in Eckruteak?" "Ghost Pokemon," Yolei replied. "They train them at their gym. I hope I can catch some Psychic Pokemon on the way. They'd be pretty effective against them." "You don't need psychic powers to defeat a ghost," Lynkeru said. "A sword will do the trick. Maybe a bow and arrow or a hookshot if they're too high up. Believe me, I've killed a number of them." "You can't kill ghosts," Mamoru argued. "They're already dead." "You know what I mean." "The road there leads through the National Forest," Yolei reported. "You know, I think they're having a Bug Catching Contest today. The first prize is a Sun Stone, and you get to keep one of the Pokemon you catch!" "Cool," Mamoru replied. "I heard a meteor landed near the National Forest last night, but they haven't found it yet." "That would explain the earthquake last night," Yolei said. "Think they'll still have the contest?" "Probably," Mamoru answered. "What harm could possibly come from a simple meteor?" Meanwhile, the "meteor" lay silently amidst a serene wilderness. Despite the scorch marks on the metallic surface, the chrome still gleamed in the sunlight. The impact crater it had made was not as large as one would think an object of this size would make. "It's here," the Masked Rocket said as he stepped out of the shadows. "I knew it! An alien spacecraft!" He walked up to the spacecraft and touched it. His hand jerked back, but then he ran his hand along the surface. "It's cool," he said with a grin. "Even after several hours, it should still be burning hot from falling through the upper atmosphere. Oh, just think what other wonders this pod must contain! Alien technology? Rare extraterrestrial Pokemon? Maybe even something like Mew or Mewtwo, or even more powerful! Whatever is in here, I'm sure it will serve my megalomaniacal schemes well!" "I think we've heard enough," a voice behind him said. The Masked Rocket turned around and saw Kitsu and Keaton standing there. "Whatever's in that pod, we're not going to let thieves like you get a hold of them!" Keaton announced. "You dare call me a mere thief!?" the Masked Rocket questioned, visibly annoyed. "I am a criminal mastermind! If you think a couple PokeFans like you have any chance of stopping me, think again!" "PokeFans?" Keaton replied, taken aback. "Well, we do kinda look like Pokemon," Kitsu said. "I'll have you know that we're samurais," Keaton said, drawing his sword. "And them's fightin' words where we come from." "If it's a fight you want," the Masked Rocket said, taking out a PokeBall from beneath his cape, "Then come get some!" Before combat could commence, there was a sudden rush of air as the seals in the pod opened. Everyone took a step back as the doors on began to open. "It's opening!" Kitsu said. The doors slowly moved outward and slid apart, reveal an inky darkness within. The Masked Rocket took an astonished step forward, but a transparent shockwave knocked everyone down before they could move closer. Keaton struggled to remain conscious and tried to get up. Before he passed out, he could barely make out the creature as it emerged from the pod. It looked like a small, red slug with a brown head and yellow eyes. It began to ooze towards him, then everything went black... "National Forest dead ahead!" Yolei announced. "Are you going to enter the contest, too?" Mamoru asked Lynkeru. "Nah," Lynkeru replied. "I'm not into training Pokemon." "That's right, you not even a registered trainer, are you?" noted Yolei. "I don't think you can enter without a Pokedex. Too bad. You could've gotten a Scyther." "A Scyther, eh?" Lynkeru said. "That is too bad." Suddenly, a red blur zoomed out of the woods and ran circles around the trio with a call of "OH boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy OH BOY! I'm gonna be a Pokemon trainer! I'm gonna catch a Snorlax, and a Pidgey, and a Raikou and a Mewtwo and a Pinsir and a Haunter and a Golduck...." The red blur suddenly stopped. They could now see that it appeared to be a small boy wearing a red sweater so large it touched the ground and draped off his hands. His brown cap was far too large for his head, and the gap between the hat and the sweater was obscured in shadow. Only the kid's yellow eyes were visible in the darkness. He looked about suspiciously, as if he thought he was being watched. "I bet there are Pokemon around here right now," he whispered audibly. He reached into his sweater and produced what looked like a black Pokedex with the words "DON'T PANIC" written in bold letters on the front. "Are you a Pokemon!?" he demanded, pointing his Pokedex at Mamoru. Not getting a response from the device, he swung the Pokedex over to Yolei and asked, "Are YOU a Pokemon!? And how about you!?" "Ledian," the Pokedex informed. "The lady bug Pokemon." The kid leaned over to Lynkeru and whispered, "Don't look now, but I think there's a Pokemon on your head..." He gave her a sly wink, then ran off into the National Forest shouting, "OH boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy OH BOY! I'm gonna catch a Zapdos and an Elekid and a Spearow and a Ditto and a Pikachu and a Machamp and an Alakazam. I bet they're having the bug-catching contest today! Last one there's a rotten zarknard! OH boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy...." "He must be really excited to be a Pokemon trainer," Mamoru said. "I'll say," Yolei agreed. "Can't say much for his fashion sense, though." "I'm picking up something strange from that kid, Lyn," Indi said (and remember, only Lynkeru can hear her!). "I think we should keep an eye on him." Lynkeru nodded in agreement. "Ugh, what happened?" Kitsu groaned. "I feel like I've been hit by a truck." "Whatever was in that pod attack us," Keaton said, slowly sitting up. "Hey! Where is the pod!?" The two quickly got up and looked around. The pod and the Masked Rocket were gone. "It's gone!" Kitsu exclaimed. "That Rocket kid must've taken it!" "Or the alien ate him and moved the pod!" Keaton declared. "I saw it, Kitsu! Just before I passed out! It was, it was... This huge, red lizard! There were brown, bony plates covering its head, and it breathed fire!" "Strange, I don't see any signs of something that big being moved," Kitsu said. "... Razor sharp claws and gnashing teeth!..." Keaton continued. Kitsu kneeled down and examined some tracks on the ground. "There are some foot prints leading away from here," Kitsu explained. "One set must be the Masked Rocket..." "... Wings! Blocking out the sun as it..." "... These must be the alien's. Doesn't look like either of them were carrying anything heavy..." "... Knocking over skyscrapers as it stomps through the city..." "... The technology this creature must possess to move something like that without a trace... Keaton..." "...*Crash!* GRRROAAAOWWWWW!! *Stompidy-Smash!* SNARRRRLLAAALALEL! FWOOSH! *Crush! Shatter!*..." "KEATON!" Keaton stopped stomping about the crash site like Godzilla and looked at his sister. "Yeah?" he asked. "We HAVE to find that alien before the Masked Rocket does!" "Right!" "They both went that way..." "... Right to the National Forest entrance!" "Let's go!" the both announced, dashing right towards the National Forest. [There's more to tell, but I think I'll let others join in on the Bug-Catching Contest before continuing. See you there!] -- Chet "Tech" Weaver's Revised Basic Sig The views and opinions expressed in this post may have no basis in reality whatsoever. "If there are ninjas, and I'm pretty sure there will be, I want you to use your leek like a nunchaku and Swords Dance crazily in order to scare them away with your mad leek skills." -- Rob, "There's No Place Like Gym" "No ride is complete without a clown in an electric chair." -- My brother AIM: PanGatomon, Rorschach Mask, NemesisWolfHelm