Subject: [PW!] Caught Between A Cave And a Dark Forest Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 05:00:50 GMT From: Rob <robfrompw@yahoo.com> Organization: AT&T Worldnet Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon "Good evening, Rilli!" Robert exclaims into the Pokegear on his wrist when the sleepy face of his girlfriend appears on it. The black-haired Gym Leader is lying down on a bed in his room at the Azalea Town Pokemon Center, a room he's been staying at for almost four months now, much to the dismay of the local Nurse Joy. She's getting tired of bringing the often-hungry young man food every time he calls room service, since he does so almost every single night. Mithril-rama is not quite as annoyed as Nurse Joy, but she is somewhat bothered when she says, "...Robert, how many times do I have to remind you? Lavender Town's three hours ahead of Azalea Town. It's 4 AM here." "I know, I know! I'm sorry, but I miss you so much." Robert kisses the screen of the purple Pokegear and says, "I had another wonderful day here in Azalea Town and I wished throughout the entire day that you had been here, sharing it with me. Why don't you close the Diversity Gym for a few days and come visit me? You could watch me win my third Johto League Badge at the local Gym then we could enjoy a nice walk through a dark cave or a beautiful forest engulfed in darkness!" Mithril-rama's eyes, which have been half closed since Robert called her, suddenly open wide, "Close the gym? You know I can't do that, Robert. There's dozens of Pokemon here in my care and their Trainers could come to pick them up at any moment..." Her eyelids droop back down again when she realizes something, "Oh, I see what this is about. You're too scared to go into a Gym full of Bug Pokemon or back through the Ilex Forest or into Union Cave by yourself, so you want me to be there at your side throughout the entire match and as you leave the town. Is that the only reason you've been staying in Azalea Town for so long?" "What? No, of course not..." Robert becomes flustered as he explains, "I've told you before - there's a bunch of Slowpoke here, and I like slow Pokemon, and the people here adore... How could you suggest such a... Well, I am a LITTLE scared to go into... but that's not the reason... I could go into Bugsy's Gym anytime I wanted to! But I'd still like you to come visit me." Robert pauses to think, then snaps his fingers, "Why don't you put that Smasher guy you told me has been hanging out over there for the past few months in charge of the Gym for a few days? He has previous experience, too - you told me he Gymsat for Brock once!" "Yeah, and he lost the Gym to Bug Catchers." Mithril-rama yawns before continuing, "Besides, he left to Johto on a Skarmory the other day. By the way, before he left, he told me to tell you that he thanks you for building such 'extreme' training grounds for his Pokemon and that if he finds you, he wants to challenge you for an Oasis Badge. Anyway, Robert, I'm going back to sleep now. I'm sorry I can't visit you in Azalea Town, but I'm sure you'll be able to win a badge without me there. Good night, Robert, I love you." "I love you too, Rilli! Good night!" Robert kisses his Pokegear again, right before it shuts off. Less than a minute later, he starts feeling lonely. He sits up on his bed and places his chin on his fist to think, "I need to talk about my fear of Bug Pokemon with someone who's afraid of them too... someone who understands me, but who? Hey, I wonder if any of my Pokemon are afraid of Bug Pokemon. I know Farfetch'd and Murkrow aren't since they're strong against them. Horsea's not weak against Bug Pokemon and neither is Swinub... But wait! Pineco is a pure Grass type - he's really weak against Bug Pokemon. I can talk with him about my fear!" Robert removes a black Heavy Ball from his belt and releases the heavy Pineco stored within. The dark blue Pineco appears in a flash of light on his bed, sinking the mattress down a few inches. "Pineco, I want to tell you something." Robert puts his hand on his Pokemon's side and pauses for dramatic effect, then says, "I'm... I'm afraid of Bug Pokemon, just like you. Well, not JUST like you - I'm not afraid that they're going to climb onto a tree I'm hanging from and eat me, but I'm scared of them just the same!" "...co?" Pineco is confused, being that he's not afraid of being eaten by another Pokemon of his Type, then he decides to use the information Robert just disclosed against him. The Bug Pokemon has been wanting to Self-Destruct in Robert's face for the past few months so that the Gym Leader will release him, but Robert hasn't been Training him much so he has not learned the move yet. Now he formulates a new plan - to scare Robert into freeing him. The overweight Pokemon narrows his eyes in the scariest fashion he can, in an attempt to scare Robert into releasing him, and boos, "CooOoooOOooo! CooooOOOooOO!" Robert scratches his head, further messing up his already messy black hair, wondering what Pineco is trying to tell him. Judging himself a great translator of Pokemon intentions, he smiles and exclaims, "Of course! You scared away Bug Pokemon in the Ilex Forest by putting on your scariest face and want me to do the same!" Pineco falls over, hitting his face against the bed, "Co." Robert picks up his Pineco and hugs him close, "Thanks for your advice, Pineco! I'll do just that, and I'll make sure you don't come out of your Heavy Ball the whole time I'm at that Gym full of scary Bug Pokemon. I know how much you like the Pokeball I had Kurt make for you the day after I met you in the Ilex Forest!" Robert pulls his Pineco back into his Heavy Ball, then dials a number on his Pokegear. Nurse Joy's tired face appears on the Pokegear and the nurse says, "Good evening, Azalea Town Pokemon Cent-oh, it's you. What do you want now?" "Good evening!" Robert smiles at the nurse, "I'm hungry. Could you bring me a double cheeseburger, super sized fries, a large soda, and an entire watermelon?" Nurse Joy narrows her eyes for a moment, but then puts a superficial smile on her face, "...I was planning to go to bed now, considering it's 1 AM, but I'd love to!" "Thanks!" Robert turns off his Pokegear, falls back onto his bed, and smiles, "First Pineco gives me advice for overcoming my fear of Bug Pokemon then Nurse Joy doesn't go to bed just to get me food! Rilli might not be able to visit me, but at least I'm surrounded by people and Pokemon who like me!" -Robert