From: "William Rendfeld" <warendfeld@aol.com> Subject: [PW!] A Badge Before Boating Date: Thursday, January 15, 2004 8:12 PM >[NS: Weaver asked me to take Amber and Smasher's pokemon out of the >search, at least for now.] > [Fair enough, and understandable. But somehow, I doubt this means good tidings for Big Time.] >Reality popped like a bubble, then he broke the surface of the water and >climbed onto Olivine's shore. "Dee!" Alex called, rushing over along >with some of the others who had been looking for him since their arrival >minutes ago. "What happened?" > >Dripping wet, Dee struggled to his feet with Ben's assistance. >"I...hate...Sabrina." "That was Sabrina?" Alex asked. "Good Goddish." "You felt that?" Dee asked. "A little bit, enough to tell that wasn't your power getting us here," Alex replied. "But whatever her reasons, I'm not going to complain." She quickly looked to the horizon, trying to catch a glimpse of the SS Tidal, and said, "I think it's safe to say we've still got some time left." Turning to the rest of the searchers present, she noted, "If no one minds, I'm going to see about a Mineral Badge. Don't worry, I'll get to the boat as soon as I can." "Good luck Alex," Ben noted as the young woman gathered her team and started towards the Gym. "Thanks!" Alex called back. "I'm gonna need it." - Alex, with Surtur the Combusken and ShadowWarrior the Murkrow in tow, quickly arrived at the Olivine City Gym. "Here we go," Alex noted. "Surtur, it's your show this time." "<Do not worry, Alexandria,>" Surtur noted, flexing his taloned hands. "<This time around, no Steel-type shall defeat me.>" "I hope not," Alex replied. "Let's do it." The trio entered the Olivine Gym, and as they entered, Alex called out, "Excuse me? Is the Gym Leader present in this Gym?" "Please step into the arena," the voice of a woman in her late teens or early twenties echoed through the Gym. Alex looked to her two Pokémon companions, and the three shrugged in unison. The group stepped through a small hallway to the large arena. Awaiting them, wearing a lavender dress and with her hair pushed up on the corners of her brow in tufts, was Jasmine, the Gym Leader for Olivine City. "My apologies for not greeting you as you entered," Jasmine noted. "I sent most of my staff home early today, as most of them were packing for the cruise. I am Jasmine, of the Olivine City Gym." "Alexandria, of Lilycove City," Alex politely replied. "Jasmine, I've come to challenge you for a Mineral Badge. Do you accept my challenge?" "Of course," Jasmine replied. "But something tells me you're pressed for time." Alex raised an eyebrow, but Jasmine explained, "Your Murkrow looks a bit impatient." Alex looked to ShadowWarrior, still perched upon her shoulder, who replied, "Well, can you blame me?" "No, I can't," Alex replied. She returned her attention to Jasmine and said, "And you're right, I am in a slight rush." "The cruise to Littleroot Town, most likely," Jasmine deduced. "Very well. We'll battle one-on-one." She turned her head slightly and called, "Jenina!" A young girl, barely on the verge of her teens, rushed to the arena with two flags in her hands; one red, and one green. "Ready! This is a one-on-one battle between Jasmine, the Olivine Gym Leader, and the challenger, Alexandria, with no time limit! One Mineral Badge is at stake! Begin!" Jasmine seemed to produce a Poké Ball from nowhere, tossed it into the arena, and proclaimed, "I choose you, Magneton!" Within seconds, a large mechanical Pokémon appeared, small sparks jumping between its six magnets. Alex dramatically pointed into the arena with her right hand, and called, "Surtur, go!" The agile Combusken quickly leapt into the arena, ready to regain lost ground from his loss in the Silver Conference. "Okay then Magneton, Thunder Wave attack!" Jasmine ordered. "Surtur, quickly, Fire Punch!" Alex ordered in reply. Small bolts of lightning charged between Magneton's three magnets as Surtur's right hand became engulfed in flame. As waves of electric current surged out from Magneton, Surtur blasted out a beam of flame from his hand. Both hits connected, and the two Pokémon were knocked back from the attacks. Surtur emerged paralyzed; Magneton emerged with damage. "Not bad, but now that your Combusken is paralyzed, he won't stand a chance," Jasmine noted. "Thunderbolt!" "Don't count him out yet," Alex countered. "Surtur, Sand Attack!" As Magneton moved in close for maximum effectiveness, Surtur scratched at the Gym floor, raising a cloud of dust and debris. Said debris found itself lodged in Magneton's joints, and knocked off its calculated aim and causing the Thunderbolt attack to miss. "That'll buy him some time," ShadowWarrior noted. "Now what?" "We power on through with Fire Punch and Rock Smash and hope for the best," Alex whispered. "Surtur, another Fire Punch!" "Don't count on that," Jasmine noted. "Magneton, Supersonic!" Another wreath of flame gathered on Surtur's limb as Magneton's internal workings began to grind in an effort to create a confusing, high-pitched sound. Sadly, the attempt failed, and Surtur plowed the large Electric-type with another blast of flame. "Okay, that should give us a hand," Alex noted. "One Rock Smash should do it. Surtur, Rock Smash attack!" "Magneton, Thunderbolt!" Jasmine ordered. Surtur tensed in preparation for performing his Rock Smash attack, but suddenly, an electric jolt shot through his system; the paralysis had set in for this round. Magneton quickly took the opportunity and launched a powerful Thunderbolt, the electric blast going through Surtur with ease. "Surtur!" Alex exclaimed. The blast knocked the large chicken on his back. However, Surtur was not unconscious yet. He slowly got to his feet, and noted, "<This is not over yet.>" "My thoughts exactly," Alex noted. "Alexandria, if you wish to surrender, I understand," Jasmine noted. "I saw the Silver Conference, how your Combusken was defeated in the first round despite a good fight. If you want to back down and try again, I can allow it." Alex took a breath, and decided, "Thank you. That's a very generous offer. However, I'll have to decline. I've learned from past experience that you can't run from something you've started, no matter how high the odds. Win or lose, Surtur and I are gonna finish this. And right now, we don't plan on losing." Jasmine blinked, then smiled. "I'm not sure whether I should be impressed by your bravado or frightened for your sanity." "A little of both wouldn't hurt," Alex noted with a smile. "Now then, let's finish this." "Agreed," Jasmine replied. "Magneton, Sonic Boom!" "Surtur, Fire Punch!" Alex cried. Once more, Magneton began building up energy for its next attack. Meanwhile, Surtur's clawed limb once more became wreathed in flame. Despite Surtur's paralysis, the two attacks fired off simultaneously. Surtur was knocked back by the Sonic Boom, the attack not really being strong enough to knock the Fire/Fighting type to the ground. It weakened him, almost to the breaking point, but didn't defeat him. His Fire Punch to Magneton, however, was another matter. The large collection of magnets found itself charred with flame in its central portions, then knocked to the ground, unconscious and defeated. Surtur took a breath, and noted, "<Victory.>" "The match is over!" Jenina declared, holding up the green flag. "Alexandria is the winner!" Alex sighed gratefully, then quickly walked to Surtur and noted, "Great job, Surtur." "<Thank you, Alexandria,>" Surtur replied. Jasmine, meanwhile, had already given her Magneton a Revive, restoring the robotic Pokémon to consciousness. "You fought well, Magneton. You deserve a good rest." Jasmine then recalled Magneton, and walked over to Alex before being joined by her protégé and saying, "You fought well, Alexandria. It's clear that you have learned from your experiences in the Silver Conference." "Thank you," Alex replied. "I appreciate that." "And, as proof of your victory, I give you this Mineral Badge," Jasmine said, producing the small, silvery token from an unseen pocket. "Wear it with pride." "I will, and thanks," Alex said, taking the Mineral Badge and pinning it to the inside of her jacket, beside her Zephyr Badge. She then recalled the weary Surtur into a Poké Ball and said, "Now, if the two of you will excuse me, I've got a boat to catch." TBC? [NS: I hope no one minds that I started a new thread with this. As Tech noted, it was getting rather long. Hope no one has a problem with Alex earning a second badge before heading back to Hoenn.] William Rendfeld Creator of Echowarrior, the Pokémon Resistance, and Alex Masters 178,000 Excellent Author Points 1 'I knew odd pokefacts that confused a bread crumb' point. 20 Y2Tech Points