Subject: Re: [PW!] Friends and Foe Date: Fri, 05 Apr 2002 07:13:04 GMT From: Nuh@uh.dummy (Worry) Organization: RoadRunner - Triad Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon In article <3CACD87B.77BE1F86@yahoo.com>, Rob <robfrompw@yahoo.com> wrote: >So much has happened to Sarah in such a short amount of time - the >attack on her uncle, the reappearance of Travis and Becky, having left >the farm to resume her Pokemon Journey, and the meeting with Mimic - >that she feels like she's just being tugged from one place to another >without contemplating her actions. The shepherdess and her Flaaffy >quietly follow Mimic, Drake, Travis, and Becky, their newest traveling >partners, as they head to the Violet City Pokemart. Sarah doesn't need >to purchase anything at the Pokemart, especially since she knows that >those places sell unnatural healing potions, but she's too timid to say >anything about this. > >Mimic, being most in tune with Sarah's feelings having traveled with her >for quite a while before splitting up with her, Transforms into a copy >of Sarah's Flaaffy so that he'll be less intimidating, then heads over >to Sarah's side, and asks, "Something wrong?" > >"...n-not r-really..." Sarah stutters, caught by surprise since she's >looking straight down at the ground and didn't see Mimic approach her, >then says, "Actually, things are lookin' up! I'm travelin' with >f-friends who don't s-swear, I haven't seen any of those w-weird Unown >for m-months, no... nobody's picked a f-fight with us, and most >importantly... I haven't run into that mean green-haired girl that >m-makes fun of me. What could possibly go wrong?" > >Mimic sweatdrops and says, "Sarah need learn not ask question just >asked." > >"W-why's that?" Sarah wonders out loud. > >Mimic explains, "Mimic find in this universe, question lead to >wrong-going." > >The moment Mimic says this, a green-haired teenage girl dressed in black >leather riding a motorcycle with her Quagsire, who's sitting in front of >her, drives into the area. She parks her bike right in front of the >entrance to the Violet City Pokemart and she and her Quagsire hop off of >it. Three shiny Unown - a C-shaped one, a U-shaped one, and an F-shaped >one - circle the girl's head. She sees Sarah standing towards the back >of the group whose path her motorcycle's blocking, so she puts one hand >on her hip, "I'm Roxie, an acquaintance of Sarah's. Move aside, dorks - >it's been a while since I've had the pleasure of beating her Pokemon >up." > >"Crap!" Drake frowns, "You have THREE shiny Unown? I've only collected >two. You weren't even at the Ruins of Alph when they were released!" > >"Roxie, huh?" Travis calmly says, "My name's Travis and you'd better >leave Sarah alone. I can sense you're not her friend." > >Becky strikes a fighting pose and says, "No, Travis, if it's a fight she >wants, it's a fight she'll get - Pokemon or no Pokemon." > >"See?" Mimic asks the rhetorical question, then joins Barbie, Sarah's >Flaaffy, who's hopped in front of Sarah to protect her. > >Sarah is speechless, but she starts crying, both tears of sadness >because her mean rival wants to battle her and tears of joy since her >friends are defending her. > >Roxie isn't the least bit intimidated by Travis and Becky, since the two >kids are younger than her and thus she doesn't see them as a threat. She >addresses Drake the Dragonite, "Yeah, I've got three shiny Unown. I'm >gonna have more soon, too. I heard there was a local news story a few >months ago in Violet City about three Unown taking over the Pokemon >Center, which is why I came over here in the first place. I'm hoping >I'll find the K-shaped shiny Unown to add to my collection." > >"That's not going to happen." Drake reaches into his leather bag and >rummages around inside it, waking up Memuyo the Meowth who's been >sleeping in his bag all morning long, and finally produces one of the >two Pokeballs he received in Cerulean City, "Because I've got the shiny >K-shaped Unown right here." > >Roxie crosses her arms, "I don't believe you. Let's see it." > >Seeing that Drake's about to hit the button on his Pokeball with one of >his claws to release Kay, his shiny Unown, and noticing that Roxie's >three shiny Unown have lined up before her - Eff to the left of her, You >right in front of her, and Sea to the right of her - Sarah is afraid >that Kay is going to join its comrades upon being released, so she >shouts "NOOOOOOOOOOOO," races past the Flaaffy protecting her to the >front of the group, and snatches Drake's Pokeball out of his hand. > >"If you think I need to see it to steal it Sarah, you're wrong." Without >uncrossing her arms, Roxie says, "Shaft, Earthquake. Unown, freeze them >when they're down." > >"Keeyah!" Becky shouts and she charges at Roxie to pummel her, now that >she knows she's a thief, when the ground beneath her feet begins to >shake, courtesy of an Earthquake attack issued by Roxie's Quagsire, >knocking her off balance. In fact, everyone except Roxie, who's standing >behind her Quagsire, topples to the ground due to the Earthquake! >Roxie's F-shaped Unown flies over to where Mimic and Barbie have fallen >and suspends their animation and her C-shaped Unown flies over to where >Drake, Travis, and Becky have fallen, freezing them in time and space. >Finally, the U-shaped Unown flies over to Sarah... > >....and time appears to slow down before Sarah's eyes as the shiny >U-shaped Unown floats towards her. She remembers how bitter You was when >she met You on Route 36, and this leads her to wonder why You wasn't >more friendly. The word "friend" reminds her of her friends - first >Mimic, then Bob Raiser, and following that train of thought, she recalls >that Bob Raiser gave her a pair of Apricorn Pokeballs called Friend >Balls one time, saying Pokemon would befriend her faster if she caught >them with the special Pokeballs. Figuring that Roxie may have neglected >to actually catch You with a Pokeball when she met up with You since You >actually follows her willingly, Sarah reaches into her satchel, grabs >one of her Friend Balls, throws it at You, and closes her eyes. > >The moment the ground stops shaking, Sarah opens her eyes. She looks >around to see a shiny C-shaped Unown floating over a frozen Drake, >Travis, and Becky, a shiny F-shaped Unown floating over a frozen Mimic >and Barbie, and a Friend Ball wobbling around on the ground, equidistant >from Roxie and herself. The second the Friend Ball stops wobbling and >announces "ding!", Sarah leaps up and runs towards it at the same time >Roxie dashes to grab it. It's a close race, but since Sarah's exercised >on her farm while Roxie depends on her motorcycle to get around, Sarah >snatches it up off the ground seconds before Roxie lunges to grab it. > >"Give it back! That's mine!" Roxie complains, pauses to think, then >shakes her head in disgust, "You rotten thief. I thought you were a >goody-two-sandals, but you're a dirty criminal. You might as well become >a member of Team Rocket. In fact, I should go report you! I hear the >Violet City Police Station is full of officer Jennys and they'll all be >after you once I file my report unless you give me that Pokeball." > >Sarah takes a few steps back, scared and about to start sobbing, but >seeing her friends frozen by the F-shaped and C-shaped Unown, the >friends who defended her earlier, she suddenly gets a rush of adrenaline >and shakes her head, "You didn't catch the shiny Unown, so it wasn't >yours! I doubt any of these Unown are yours! Let's see, shall we?" Sarah >produces the other Friend Ball that Bob Raiser gave her and hurls it at >the C-shaped Unown floating over Drake, Travis, and Becky. The shiny >Unown is sucked into the Friend Ball and while it wobbles, Sarah says, >"You're the criminal, Roxie, and I'll report you to the Police unless >you leave us alone!" > >When she hears Sarah's second Friend Ball ding, Roxie becomes concerned >that Sarah's going to capture the F-shaped Unown as well, so she >produces one of the Fast Balls she stole from Kurt from her pocket, >enlarges it, and hurls it at Eff, who gets pulled into it. Roxie says, >"I'll let you keep those Unown, bumpkin, because they're worthless. The >F's the one that has the ability to Find other shiny Unown for me - and >once I get a big enough collection, I'll sell them as a lot on E-Bayleef >and buy myself a state of the art motorcycle." Hearing yet another ding, >Roxie picks up her Fast Ball as Shaft mounts her motorcycle, then Roxie >hops onto her bike as well. She revs up the motor for a moment, then >drives eastward, leaving Sarah coughing in a cloud of thick smoke, >disgusted by the pollution. > >Sarah walks over to Travis and decides to wake him up by shaking him out >of his state of suspended animation. However, when she puts her hands on >his shoulders, she finds that he's incredibly stiff. She frowns, then >gets an idea. She picks up the Friend Ball containing the C-shaped Unown >that froze Travis, Drake, and Becky, releases the Pokemon, and asks, >"Excuse me - c-could you please unfreeze these th-three?" Sea, happy to >oblige the girl who gave it such a marvelous home in her Friend Ball, >immediately unfreezes the trio it froze. > >Becky kicks her leg as she would have were Roxie in front of her, but >she ends up kicking Drake's tail instead. Drake frowns and turns around >to punch his attacker, until he sees that Becky's the one responsible, >and he lowers his fist. Travis chuckles a little, then looks around and >asks, "What happened, Sarah? Where's Roxie?" > >When Travis looks at Sarah in the eyes, she blushes and looks down >before explaining, "Roxie had the C Unown f-freeze you three. She drove >off after I captured the U and C Unown with my Friend Balls. I asked the >C Unown to unfreeze you, but I think we're gonna have to w-wait for >Mimic and Barbie to thaw naturally since Roxie ran away with the F Unown >that froze them... unless..." Sarah looks at the C-shaped Unown, "Can >you unfreeze the two Flaafffy?" When Sea looks down sadly and replies, >"No," Sarah says, "Then we're gonna have to carry them. I-I'm not strong >enough to carry Barbie ever since she e-evolved, so..." > >"I can carry her for you." Travis offers with a smile, "All the way to >New Bark if necessary!" > >Sarah takes a deep breath and still on an adrenaline rush, she speaks >her mind, "I know you're goin' to New Bark, Travis... but I wanna head >to a nice trainin' spot I found near Ecruteak. I'm sure we'll meet up >again sometime, but I don't wanna walk all the way to New Bark if I >don't have anythin' to do over there. I was hopin'..." She swallows back >saliva and addresses the large Dragonite who's just stood up and is >looming over her, "Could you c-carry Mimic an' Barbie to Ecruteak for >m-me, Drake? If you do that and promise not to s-swear around me l-like >you did earlier, then I'll g-give you the shiny Unown I caught, s-since >you collect 'em." > >-Sarah > "I'm surprised Sarah didn't stay with us." Becky stated. Once Sarah had made her decision, the parting was swift. Travis had seemed almost eager to get away from the shepardess and her party. This also surprised Becky, she had thought the two were growing close. "I'm not surprised at all." Travis replied. "I figured she wouldn't want to trek all the way back to New Bark just so she could travel with us. That's why i gave her the choice back outside her farm. Besides, I wanted to get there quickly and Hoofer here is alot quicker than walking." Travis added giving the equine pokemon a fond pat on his shoulder. And they were indeed making great time. They would reach New Bark before nightfall, barring any complications on the road. "But you two were getting close." Becky said hesitantly, not knowing how to breach the topic "I thought you liked her" She said in a rush "I DO like her." Travis replied "Then why the all fired hurry to get away from her?" Becky asked sounding confused. 'Well..." Travis answered slowly taking time to formulate his thoughts. "For one thing, I didn't want her to think we were going to pressure her into coninuing on with us. Sarah is very shy and it is rare, I think, that she asserts herself. Another thing is how uncomfortable she is around me. I think she may mistake the fact that I like her and my desire for friendship with a deeper feeling and desire for....soemthing else. That would make for a pretty uncomfortable traveling partner and for a pretty uncomfortable trip too." "Oh," Becky replied, seeing what he was talking about. "That Drake seemed to not want to part company." She added, changing the topic "Really?" Travis asked. "I didn't notice." The pair rode along in silence for awhile, and Becky pulled out her pokegear to listen to some radio. But before she could turn the thing on, a russling in the bushes to the side of the path caught their attention. With a practiced hand on Hoofer's mane, Travis brought the fire horse to a halt More russling came from the bush and suddenly a Sentret spilled out onto the path. It immediately rose up on its tail to get a btter look at its surroundings, then reacted in surprise as it took note of the Rapidash and his riders.. Unlike others of its kind, this Sentret was jet black. The white circle on its belly stood out more due to that fact. For the barest moment, the air around the black pokemon seemed to shimmer and sparkle, but the effect was gone quickly, leaving the humans wondering if they had even seen it. "Interesting!" Travis stated. The Sentret looked like it was ready to bolt, but cocked its head when the purple haired trainer spoke. "Rapid, could you scan that sentret please and see if it knows any odd moves?" After a moment, a small voice spoke into Travis's mind, "It knows Pursuit, Tackle, Defense Curl, and Quick Attack. It is also ready to evolve soon." "Hmmmm." Travis replied deep in thought. "A Dark type move, and with that odd coloring, maybe it's father was an Umbreon. Could be a useful addition to the team. And i bet Professor Ivy would go ga ga over the chance to study it." "Are you going to capture it?" Becky asked quietly. "I don;t want to battle it." Travis replied. "But I would like to train it. Maybe I will try asking it if it would like to join me." Travis replied. Sliding down on the far side of Hoofer, Travis unslung his back pack and rummaged around for a moment. 'You two wait for me around the bend." Travis said. Hoofer turned and slowly walked off so as to not startle the Sentret. Travis didn't try to aporach the pokemon. Instead, he sat crosslegged on the path and spoke quietly..... Worry's first SIG sig file ------------------------------------------------------------------ *"It takes a Worried man to sing a Worried song..." Kingston Trio* *And the award for the funniest line in a cartoon goes to Superman who remarked "Don't look at me, I just catch 'em!" after stopping a crane thrown by Bizzaro from crushing a wedding party.* Proud owner of 300 fake code points