Subject: [PW][WC] Making a Mantine out of a Molehill Date: Sat, 7 Dec 2002 00:11:21 -0500 From: "Clayton" <redneckdadd@yahoo.com> Organization: Bell Sympatico Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Back in Goldenrod City, it all started with a phone call. While everyone else had decided to do some last-minite shopping and pokemon training before hitting the road to Ecruteak, Bob had decided to hand around the Pokemon Center and help Nurse Joy with the work she had to do. The phone rang at the front desk. Nurse Joy and her Chansey were both in the ER dealing with the latest of Whitney's challengers. Seeing that Nurse Joy isn't rushing out to get it, Bob decides to answer it himself. Pulling the hood up on his sweatshirt, he pushes the button to answer the telephone. "Good evening, Goldenrod Pokemon Center." Bob says cheerfully. The Nurse Joy on the other end of the line looks surprised at first, but quickly recovers. "Hello. Is Joy there?" Bob smiles politely. "She is, but she's in the ER ar the moment. Anything I can help with?" The Nurse Joy on the other thinks about that for a minute. "Well, there's this guy who's afraid of the water ..." ---------- The next morning, Bob stands in the Scarlet City Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy was dealing with someone else at the moment, so she was pleasantly stunned when she noticed that he had already made it. "You got here fast." Nurse Joy said. "It sounded important. Now, where might this guy be?" Bob asks, adjusting the hood on his shirt so that it stays on. "Back there." Nurse Joy says, pointing towards Hokori. Bob looks at the guy for a couple of seconds, before whispering the obvious observation. "He's a ground-type hybrid, isn't he?" Bob asks, quietly so she doesn't make a scene. Nurse Joy nods. Bob turns around, but Nuse Joy stops him. "One thing though, could you possibly be a back-up contestant in case he doesn't get his nerve back in time?" Bob turns around and looks at Joy, then Hokori, then back to Joy. "Sure. I hope he regains his nerve by then though, cause I don't have a water-type with me." "Well, you can go rent one. For the record, if you do have to fight, you'll be battling against Lily of the Cerulean Gym. But I'll need some information first." "Shoot." "What's your first name?" Nurse Joy asked, picking up some form. "Bob." "Well, nice to meet you then Bob." They shake hands. "Back to the form, age?" "16." "What water pokemon do you have?" This question was more procedure than anything "Whatever I rent. I'll bring the information back to you." ---------- At the Rental House, Bob's looking in the tanks for a decent water pokemon. In one tank, a Squirtle and a Poliwag were playing around in the tank. Bob looked at them with interest. 'Nah, too predictable'. The second tank he gazed at was chilled and had a Shellder lazing at the bottom and a Seel swimming happily. Bob gazed at the Shellder with interest. 'Hmm ... good physical defense, but a lame special defense. Water attacks are special attacks.' he thought. The third tank he looked in had a Mantine gliding along the water contently. Bob watched it swim for a solid minute. Actually, he was so busy watching that he didn't notice the old man come up behind him.. "Good morning, can I help you?" "Yeah actually, I would like to rent the Mantine. Nurse Joy sent me." "Are you the one replacing the poor lad that got sick?" the old man asked "No, I'm the back-up for some kid who's terrified of the water." "Ah. By the way, there are charges for increased levels and movesets alterations." Bob looks at the old man strangely. "Charging for doing your work for you. THAT'S an opportunistic breeder." The old man looks back at him. "What do you know about breeding?" "I know a few things. For example, Mantine there can be bred the Dragon attack Twister. I doubt that this one has it, but this Mantine looks tough and happy." "Suit yourself." The old man says, while collecting the Mantine out of the tank. "Anything else about breeding you know." Bob collects the pokeball with the Mantine in it, before looking the old man in the eyes. "Sorry, Raiser's secret. Besides, I have to get back to the Pokemon Center and report to Nurse Joy." Bob says, befor jogging out. The old man shakes his head, before taping a note to the tank saying to request another Mantine. Walking out the door, Bob passed what looked like a young lady with a Magby and a Togepi. It wasn't until he was halfway to the Pokemon Center that he realized that the young lady he passed was actually a pokemon. Shaking his head, he jogged back to the Pokemn Center. "What took you so long?" Nurse Joy asked. "Had to weigh the options. Even I do lose, I won't make it easy for her." Bob said. "And what did you pick up so I can record it." "Oh right. Idiot me. A Mantine. Not the home-bred type I'm used to, but I'm sure that this little one will do just fine." Nurse Joy records the information while Bob walks over to Hokori, who's staring out at the window. Bob puts a hand on his shoulder. "Howdy. Can I sit here?" TBC ------- Clayton