Subject: [PW!] Petalburg's Peculiar Persons Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2003 05:42:07 -0400 From: Rob <robfrompw@yahoo.com> Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Spotting that the buildings of Petalburg City are just a few meters away from where he stands, a tired middle-aged man named Marvin lets out a long sigh of relief. Just as the man, who's wearing a golden tuxedo covered in dirt, takes one step forward, he hears a subtle "ding" and a kid walks up to him brandishing a Pokeball. Marvin grumbles as the Youngster wearing a blue cap, yellow shirt, and blue shorts declares, "I'm Calvin of Petalburg City and you can't say no to my challenge!" "Yes I can," Marvin tells the kid, "I've been lost on Route 102 for the longest time battling strange-looking Worm Pokemon and ugly Zigzagoon and now that I've finally found Petalburg City, I don't want to fight anymore. I just want to enter the city to ask the local Gym Leader a question and head to the Pokemon Center to heal my Pokemon and rest." "First of all, old man, Route 102 is a straight line between Oldale Town and Petalburg City. A five year old kid couldn't get lost in this field." Youngster Calvin berates Marvin, "And secondly, according to the Hoenn League, you really can't say no to my challenge." Calvin pulls out his Hoenn League Guidebook to consult the section regarding what must be done when a Trainer makes eye contact with another Trainer. Upon seeing Calvin's Guidebook, Marvin rememebers something he read in the copy of the Guidebook that the Oldale Town's Nurse Joy gave him, "Oh yeah, that's right - here in Hoenn it's illegal for me to not battle you. In that case, go Torchic!" He produces a Pokeball from inside his dirty tuxedo and throws it on the ground. An orange Torchic materializes and starts cleaning herself with her beak. "A Torchic, huh?" Youngster Calvin eyes the middle-aged man's Pokemon, "Aren't you a little old to be raising a Torchic?" Marvin argues, "I'm only forty-six! What's wrong with a man my age raising a Fire Pokemon that happens to be a little young?" "Nothing, I guess..." Calvin shrugs, "It's not against the law or anything. It's just... weird. Anyway, since you sent out such a young Pokemon, I'm not going to send out my Linoone or Swellow. They'd tear her apart." "Let me guess," Marvin crosses his arms, "You're going to send out a Rattata, right?" "Rattata?" The Youngster peers at Marvin as if he were from some alien planet, "What's a Rattata?" "What's a Rattata?!" Marvin's eyes go wide in response to the young person's inquiry, "Why, it's just one of the most common Pokemon in all of Kanto and Johto! There's a bunch of kids your age wearing shorts like yours running around with them all over both continents. You mean to tell me that there isn't a single Rattata in all of Hoenn?!" "I dunno. If there are, I've never seen 'em." Calvin pulls a Pokeball out of one of his shorts' pockets, "I'm gonna send out a Pokemon I caught a couple of weeks ago - Zigzagoon, go!" The Youngster tosses the Pokeball and a dark brown Zigzagoon emerges... "Another dark brown Zigzagoon with sheenless fur?" Marvin shakes his head, "I'm starting to wonder if that little girl's Zigzagoon is the only one in the world that has pretty, shiny fur." Calvin asks, "You know Terri?" "Terri? ...oh yeah, that's what Professor Birch said her name was!" A smile appears on Marvin's face for the first time since he started talking with Calvin, "I don't know her, but I'm guessing you do know her?" Calvin shakes his head, "Nah, I don't know her either." "Oh." Marvin snaps his fingers in disappointment, "...wait a minute - how'd you know her name, then?" "She told me her name was Terri right before I battled her as she headed into Petalburg City a few days ago." Calvin says, "Her Zigzagoon's fur is orange-brown with tan stripes since her Zigzagoon's a shiny Pokemon - they're very rare." Marvin asks, "Do you happen to know anything else about her?" "Just that her Magcargo's really strong." Calvin replies, "He gave my Swellow some pretty nasty burns. Anyway, enough about my past battle, it's time for our current battle to begin! Zigzagoon, Tail Whip!" Marvin calls out one of the moves his Pokedex told him his Torchic recently learned, "Torchic, Focus Energy..." As Calvin's Zigzagoon Whips Marvin's Torchic's head with his tail, the Torchic places her tiny wings on the sides of her head and Focuses her Energy, trying to ignore the Normal Pokemon's whipping. "Tackle!" Marvin and Calvin shout at the same time. Their Pokemon Tackle each other simultaneously - right after they make contact, both Pokemon fall to the ground. The only Pokemon who gets up, however, is Marvin's Torchic. She raises her wings in victory and chirps, "Chic!" The Youngster sweatdrops as he pulls his fainted Zigzagoon back into his Pokeball, "Arrgh, I lost... Is my training method not right?" "Not necessarily - the Pokedex thar Professor Birch gave me told me, in her delightfully sexy voice, that Focus Energy increases the ratio of critical hits and critical hits are much more powerful than regular attacks." Marvin says, "However, if my Torchic's attack wasn't a critical hit, then I'd have to say that your training method could indeed be improved." Calvin pulls out his wallet, takes some cash out of it, and hands it to Marvin, "Here's half of my money - $480. I want your Torchic to have a rematch with my Zigzagoon after I raise him some more." Calvin pockets his wallet then pulls a tan Pokenav out of his other pocket, "Do you have a Pokenav? We can trade profiles and I can let you know when I want to battle you again." Marvin withdraws his own tan Pokenav from within his tuxedo, "I don't think I've set my profile yet - does that matter?" "Nope. It'll just show the standard one." Calvin places his Pokenav's infrared sensor next to the one on Marvin's Pokenav and pushes a button on his, "Setting your profile on these things is tricky - a guy at the Petalburg City Pokemon Center helped me set mine. If he's still there, I'm sure he'd be glad to help you set yours too. Anyway, I've put my info on your Pokenav - you're ready to go! Just go to the 'Trainer's Eyes' feature on your Pokenav later to see if I want a rematch." "Thanks! Oh, my name's Marvin, by the way." Marvin shakes the Youngster's hand, "Normally I'd say I'm Marvin the Magnificent, but as you can see by the state of my clothes, I'm not feeling very magnificent right now. However, I'm hoping the money I just won by beating you in a Pokemon battle will help me buy some new clothes in Petalburg City. I'll see you later, Calvin!" Marvin pats his shoulder twice then his Torchic flies up to it and perches herself on it. Youngster Calvin declares, "If you're going to get stronger, I'll get stronger, too." "I didn't say I was going to get stronger... but I think you should get stronger even if I don't." Marvin waves to Calvin as he heads into Petalburg City, searching for the local Pokemon Gym. It's not long before he finds the building despite its looking very normal. While many Gyms look different than surrounding buildings, this one exudes normality - it's exceptionally average in every way. Marvin steps into the Gym's plain lobby and encounters a brown-haired girl wearing a red hat with a white design on it, white gloves, a red shirt, a yellow fanny pack, blue shorts, blue socks, and red shoes. "Hi, my name's May," The girl walks up to Marvin and shakes his hand, "What a cute Torchic you have! She reminds me of the one Professor Birch gave me when I was ten. Is that your daughter's Pokemon?" Marvin answers, "Nope - she's mine." "...oh." May takes a step away from Marvin and changes the subject, "Are you here to see Norman, the Petalburg City Gym Leader? He's my dad, you know. He designed this place himself when we moved from Johto to Hoenn some years back..." Marvin shakes his head, "No, actually, I don't want -" "He's brilliant," continues May, "Before reaching the Gym Leader, a Trainer has to pass through a variety of rooms, each one featuring one Trainer who specializes in Normal Pokemon using an item to improve one of his or her Pokemon's abilities..." Marvin tries to interrupt, "I'm not here to -" "First you have to choose between the Speed Room and the Accuracy Room," explains May, "If you overcome the challenge in the Speed Room, you get to choose between the Zero Reduction Room and the Defense Room. If you defeat the Trainer in the Accuracy Room, you can then move on to either the Defense Room or the Recovery Room..." As May prattles on and on, Marvin wishes he had his magic props so he could send fireworks out of his sleeves to catch May's attention. He decides to use a more common approach and shouts, "I'M NOT HERE TO BATTLE YOUR DAD! I'M HERE TO ASK HIM A QUESTION!" "Oh... You should've just said so, then. There's no need to yell." May says, "Dad's not in right now anyway. What did you want to ask him? Maybe I can help." "Has a little girl with black hair named Terri visited this Gym?" Marvin asks May, who puts her hand on her chin as she thinks. After a moment, he adds, "She's got a shiny Zigzagoon, if that helps." "Oh yeah! THAT little girl!" May nods, "She passed through here about a week ago. She wanted to earn a Balance Badge from my dad using only shiny Pokemon. She and her Zigzagoon got through the Speed Room just fine, but they were defeated in a one-on-one match in the Defense Room. On her way out, I told her what my dad tells all beginning trainers - that she should get four Gym Badges before she challenges him. I said she should go to the Rustboro City Gym and haven't seen her since." "Then that's where I'm headed - the Rustboro City Gym." Marvin opens his Pokenav and selects its map feature to see where Rustboro City is, "She had her Zigzagoon steal three shiny Unown from me and I'm determined to get them back." May gasps, "That's terrible! If she manages to get four Gym Badges and comes back here, I'll be sure to call Officer Jenny." "Thank you - thank you very much! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the Pokemon Center to rest and have my Pokemon healed." Marvin shakes May's hand and steps out of the Petalburg City Gym, staring down at a map of Petalburg City displayed on his Pokenav to find the shortest route to the local Pokemon Center. -Marvin