Subject: [PW] [WC] [R1] Day 2, Match 9: Of Substitutions and Psyduck Swaps Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 00:08:38 -0500 From: "Clayton" <redneckdadd@yahoo.com> Organization: Bell Sympatico Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Bob sat there in the training area, watching his rented Mantine jump in and out of the water. Every time it did, it soared in the air for a few brief seconds, almost flying even. But while the Mantine was having a gay ol' time, Bob was sitting at the water's edge, thinking about who his opponent could be. Nurse Joy had already come by an hour ago, since she forgot to ask him just where he was from. "All right Mantine?" The Mantine swam over to Bob and nuzzled his hand, signifying a yes. "Got a little training exercise for you." "Mantine?" "It's easy. All you have to do is aviod and catch the Dratini." "Mantine Man?" The Mantine asked, looking confused. "What good is that? Well, you have Agility, right?" Bob asked. The Mantine nodded. "You can use your moves to evade and catch." "MAN!" Mantine cried out, understanding. Within seconds a Dratini was also in the preparation pool, and the training was underway. Mantine was trying to use Agility to evade the Dratini that was chasing him but it wasn't working so hot. The chase was definitly on. Bob meanwhile, was thinking about his potential opponent. Lily of the Cerulean Gym. It was bad enough that she was a Gym leader, but that gym specialized in water pokemon. He envisioned the powerful water types out there in the world -- Blastoice, Feraligatr, Gyarados, even Lanturn and Golduck, and what one he might be facing. His thoughts were interrupted by Bob's Dratini yelping and jumping out of the pool. "You're ready Mantine. You may not win, but if you try your best, you already won." Bob said, recalling them both. He called out Raffy. The Girafarig sttod in front of him, glaring. "WHAT? I'm not psychic, you are." Bob cried out. Before that argument could start, the announcer boomed over the loudspeaker. "Gyarados is unable to battle, the Match goes to Travis of Valencia Island!" "Looks like that's my cue. Raffy, go to the stands and take Dratini with you. I don't want to goof and not call out a water pokemon. He left Dratini with Raffy and dashed over to where he was supposed to be. ------- A few mintues passed to allow for some of the crowd to stretch and yawn, as it had been a full day. Then the announcer come on the mike again "There's still one last match today, the one postponed from yesterday between Ho ... What do you mean he's not able to battle? Why doesn't anyone tell me these things? What do you mean "You left a message in my voice mail?" ? Why I ought to ... STILL ON THE AIR?" The announcer regained his composure. "All right, we have yet another change in the roster. This final match will be between Lily of the Cerulean Gym and Bob, from Goldenrod City." Both competitors stepped to their platforms. Lily was perfectly at home, putting on a touch of show for the crowd, but not quite as much as her other sisters. "Like Psyduck, GO!" Lily called, a Psyduck appearing on one of the platforms. "Lily has called out a Psyduck. Will calling out an unevolved pokemon be a good idea?" The announcer said, stating the ever-so-obvious. This unnerved Bob even more. From working at the day-care, he knew that it was the unevolved pokemon that were the most damgerous. Sucking it in, he called out his own pokemon. "Mantine, let's go." "It appears that Bob has chosen Mantine. Will this idea soar os he flying towards total disaster?" The announcer stated the ever so obvious again, with the pictures of the pokemon appearing beside their respective trainers. "Psyduck. Like, Water Gun!" Lily called out. "Mantine, Agility." The Psyduck looked dopier than a normal one, and after a few seconds, spit out a Water Gun that went a whole 30 feet total. Lily fell over anime style. "Like, oh NO! I got Misty's Psyduck by mistake when I left the hotel room! Psyduck, give your Confusion a try." The Psyduck clutched his head in concentration, but nothing was happening. If anything, it looked dumber than normal. Bob blinked a couple of times. "Um ... er ... uh ... Mantine, Wing Attack." The Mantine lept out of the water, using its left fin/wing to smack the Psyduck right in the chest, sending it sprawling in the water. The Psyduck was thrashing around in the water for a few seconds before getting into a steady, but slow dogpaddle. "Like, at least it can swim ... badly at least." Lily muttered. "Like, dive under!" Lily called out loud. Bob was still relatively confused by Psyduck's antics. "Mantine, use your Bubblebeam and send that Psyduck back onto that platform." Psyduck dived under ... only to be launched on a stream of Bubblebeam. It landed right back on the platform with a sicknening thud. "That's got to hurt. Psyduck landed right on his head. Is this the end?" The annoucer said. Psyduck, toppled overand landed on his back. Clutching its head in agony, it ran a few laps around the platform it was on before it stopped dead. It's eyes shot open and within seconds, Mantine was hovering in the air. With one motion, Mantine was smacked into one wall, then another. After the third wall, Mantine was free of the grip and fell back into the water. "Whoa folks. What an attack! Is that the end of Mantine?" A hurt and severely pissed off Mantine comes barreling out of the water and delivers a devistating Take Down attack to Psyduck, sending the hapless duck into the wall by Bob's platform, knocking him to his knees. Psyduck slid into the water where there was a splash and waiting. Mantine was waiting expectantly, as was everyone else. A few seconds later, Payduck floated up to the surface, defeated. "Psyduck has been defeated. Match goes to Bob, from Goldenrod City." "Mantine return." Bob said calmly, recalling the Mantine. He walked over to where Lily stood and held out a hand. "That was a good match." Lily accepted the handshake. "Like, thanks." "That Psyduck is going to be a force to be reconned with once he fully comes back to his senses. That Psychic attack was something. I'm greatful for Mantine's high Special Defense. Anyways, we should battle again when you have the right Psyduck, you know for fun." Bob said, before walking off. ---------- A couple hours later, Bob, Raffy and Dratini were sitting on the beach. Bob was fishing for something using highly improvised tools. <<What in Goddish are you looking for?>> Raffy asked. "A Mantine. Typically they're a dark blue on top. I'm looking for one a bit lighter. Mom taught me that a lighter blue Mantine is a sign of a Mantine with a Dragon-type's blood." Bob explained. <<SO?>> "It'll know Twister Raffy." Dratini flinched at that. "Don't worry little guy, just Thunderbolt it when I hook it. The Lure Ball should take care of the rest." Bob reassured. The three of them waited. TBC ------- Clayton