From: "STEFFAN HEDD ALUN" <sha3@aber.ac.uk> Subject: Re: [PW!] Better Slate Than Never Date: Thursday, May 20, 2004 11:49 PM "Bandraptor" <bandraptor@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:5e15dcde.0405200229.29bf7aab@posting.google.com... > "All right, kid," Graham says gruffly, "you're coming with me!" He > slaps a pair of handcuffs around Karl's wrists, and starts to muscle > him through the door. "Your little stunt here cost me valuable time > that I could've spent tracking down those two Team Rocket members! As > punishment for the aggravation you've caused me, I'll see to it that > you're thrown off this ship!" > > "What stunt?!?" Karl protests before getting shoved into the hallway. > > Sting the Tentacool wants to know, "<What punishment? That dried up> > tac <called him in here to bounce us...>" > > Nomak explains, "Fetch," reciting the full amassed volumes of > psychological research from the western world. > > The assembled Pokemon all shrug, and follow Graham out into the > hallway. Karl followed Graham miserably, half-heartedly tugging at the handcuffs. Behind him, Sting was sharing his opinion of the situation in no uncertain terms. Karl considered pointing out that cursing limits one's vocabulary, but since Sting could only say his name anyway, decided against it. Graham reached the lifts, then paused and looked over at Avalanche. "We'll take the stairs," he said. "Exercise will do you good." As they started to walk, Graham pulled Karl closer by his handcuffs. "Let's continue that chat now, shall we?" said the security guard. "Are these Pokémon yours?" "Shan!" snorted Blizzard. Karl looked at her, apparently hurt. "Persian purr!" she laughed. "Yes," said Karl defiantly. "Yes, they're MY Pokémon. I train them. They are mine." "Shan!" "Coolta COOL tenta tent cool!" "Ran!" "Tenta coolta TENT cool tenta..." Karl was slightly amused by the brotherhood's reaction, not least of which because the security guard had no idea what they were saying. "You should do a better job with that Tentacool, then," said Graham. "My three-year-old niece evolved hers in a matter of weeks." "Cool tenta tenta COOL!" "Persian, shan." "Tent." "I've been concentrating on Iceduck," said Karl. "He's called that because he knows Ice Beam! Which is so cool, because most Psyducks don't. Mine does." "Right." "I hope he'll evolve some day!!" he double-exclaimed. Suddenly aware that he was boasting his own Pokémon too much, Karl decided to sell his story of training the other Pokémon by sharing some details. "Iceduck's not my only Pokémon with Ice moves, though. My Persian does too!" "Shan?" said Blizzard curiously. "It's why I named her Blizzard!" Blizzard was lost for words. How a trainer could be so consistently clueless was beyond her. "And you trained that Tyranitar, did you?" asked Graham. "I sure did! From a Larveltine. She's very obedient." "Ran?" "Shan, persian shan." "RAN?!" "But Doctor Octopus is my most recent capture," continued Karl, who'd only heard Sting referred to by name from Luthor. "Coolta, cool coolta tent!" "You're a comic book fan, then?" asked Graham. "What, sorry?" "The name. Where'd you get it?" "Ohh, that." Karl's mind had to work at double-speed. "Well, 'doctor' kinda rhymes with 'octa'. And...I decided to include the 'pus' bit...because when I caught him, some pus was leaking from his tentacle." "TENT!" "Please stop talking," said Graham, for once earning the brotherhood's approval. They'd arrived at the main deck. "Now, get off the ship. And recall your Pokémon." "Erm..." started Karl. Blizzard sat down, in a comically obediant pose. This would be entertaining. "I don't like keeping them cooped up in Poké Balls. I mean, it's too weird. How can Tyranitar fit in such a small Ball?" "One of these Resistance types, are you?" asked Graham, who was familiar with the group. "When will you people LEARN? Poké Balls are NATURAL!" "Erm..." Karl didn't know what this Resistance thing was, but he knew that Poké Balls were synthetic. "Aren't they man-made, though?" Of course, Karl's vocabulary didn't stretch to the word 'synthetic'. "Modern ones are, but they can be made out of Apricorns," replied Graham. "Anyway, I don't want a debate. Get off my ship." Karl quickly obeyed, hoping to get quite some distance away from the ship before Graham realised the brotherhood weren't going to be following him. He headed for a nearby building, and turned the corner. At the same time, however, a girl wearing a cloak was walking from the opposite direction, and she was knocked to the ground as Karl ran into her. TBC?