From: "William Rendfeld" <warendfeld@aol.com> Subject: [PW!] Caged Glory Date: Saturday, July 24, 2004 4:14 PM Caged Glory "Breeeeon..." Umbreon's eyes slowly opened as he rose to his feet. He looked about the room he was in, eased somewhat by the darkness. "<You're okay!>" Umbreon blinked, then looked to the cage next to his. Within was a Seviper, her eyes expressing relief. "<When those guys tossed you in there, you were hurt pretty bad,>" the saber-toothed snake explained. "<I was worried.>" Umbreon sighed, then replied, "<Thanks. I'm okay, though. A good dose of Moonlight and I'll be fine.>" He looked around and asked, "<Where are we?>" "<Trapped, that's where,>" a third voice rumbled. Umbreon looked up to find a massive Gyarados laying nearby, contained within a large tank with an electrified cage around it. "<What do you mean?>" Umbreon asked. "<These guys that captured us?>" the Gyarados explained. "<They mean business. They're some batch of criminals. They've been roundabouts capturing various Pokémon, stealing them from some trainers. I've been here for a little while.>" "<Do they have mean Mightyenas?>" the Seviper asked. "<Wouldn't be surprised,>" the Gyarados replied. "<I've seen others get captured, and get dragged out of here after some time. No idea why I haven't gone yet. When they go out of here, something happens to 'em. Something unnatural.>" "<Unnatural?>" the Seviper asked. "<What happens to them?>" "<Don't know,>" the Gyarados replied. "<But it ain't pretty. I'd break loose, but there's the whole electrified cage thing. It looks hopeless.>" Umbreon sighed. "<Sounds like the story of my life.>" - "Those thugs have Umbreon..." Jason cursed loudly. "I'll find where those guys are, and I'm..." "You'll what?" Sai Meilan asked as she floated towards Jason, her normal Duskull-like form shifting to a more humanoid form. "Charge in? Tear the locals limb from limb? Possibly kill yourself in the process? I realize your testosterone-laced system makes you think a little differently from the rest of us, but do the math. They outnumber you at least a thousand to one." "I'll beat them off," Jason insisted. "I have power." "And they have more," Meilan countered. "No matter how the wind howls, the mountain will never break. You are the wind, they are the mountain. You need a different strategy." "I have all the strategy I need," Jason bitterly shot back. "Plain brute force?" Both Jason and Meilan blinked in surprise as they turned to one side. Serenely sitting nearby was a Gardevoir, a Skitty sleeping in her lap. "I would hardly call that a strategy, young master," the humanoid Psychic replied, her voice tinged with an Irish accent. "Butt out," Jason shot back. "This is none of your business." "The men who currently have your Umbreon threaten the freedom of Pokémon throughout the world, we Gardevoirs included," the Psychic replied. "It is very much my business, Jason Cassidy." Jason growled. "Stay out of my head." "It's very hard not to," the Gardevoir returned. "Your mind is like an open book, and thus is quite easy to access." Jason scoffed at the notion. "You're bluffing." "You started training Pokémon when you were twelve years old, when you set off from Violet City with an Umbreon. On your way to New Bark Town, you encountered the Legendary Entei and attempted to capture it. You failed, and were left with the scar upon your cheek." "I needed stronger Pokémon," Jason replied. "For nearly eight years since, you have scoured the Four Realms searching for Legendary Pokémon," the Gardevoir continued. "You captured Dark-types, feeling that they would offer you your best chance. You have heard the Roars of Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, been blown away by Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos, nearly crushed by Regirock, Registeel, and Regice, been toyed with by Latios and Latias, and have never even seen Rayquaza, Ho-oh, Lugia, Mew, Mewtwo, Celebi, Kyogre, Groudon, Jirachi, or Deoxys." "I needed more power, and I'll have it," Jason replied. "You have forsaken your blood, alienated your beloved friend, and crushed the dreams of many a potential trainer in your quest for the power of the Legendaries," the Gardevoir noted. "Your faults lay not in your stars, but in you yourself, Jason Cassidy." "I've had enough of this," Jason replied as he began to walk away. "You know nothing about me." "When was the last time you saw your brother?" the Gardevoir asked, causing Jason to stop dead in his tracks. "Your mother? Your father? When was the last time you did something simply because you enjoyed it?" "Quiet!" Jason bellowed. "The past is pointless, you hear me? Pointless!" "I remember all of my family quite well," the Gardevoir explained. "My father, my mother, my brothers and sisters. I remember one brother, similar to yourself. Cold, stubborn, foolish in thought and action, he eventually joined a violent human much like he, so confident in his abilities, so great in his power. I felt him lose consciousness months ago, twice in fact. I doubt that helped either to regain any sense." "What does this have to do with me?" Jason asked in reply. "My brother sought power, received power, and was controlled by his power," the Gardevoir replied. "He was blind and foolish. Part of me hopes that he will one day regain his senses, and part of me hopes that he one day sees the light the hard way. He may well be too far gone, but you yourself are not. You still think of your past, Jason Cassidy. My brother did not." "My past?" Jason replied. "A happy one, from what I can see," the Gardevoir answered. Jason growled, turned to face the Gardevoir, and shot back, "My past has nothing to do with this! Umbreon...!" He turned away and almost whispered, "Umbreon was with me from the beginning." The Psychic raised an eyebrow in interest as Meilan eyed her associate oddly. "Umbreon faced every Legendary that I came across," Jason replied. "He stood, he fought, but he never beat them. Entei roared, that first time..." He ran his fingers down his scar, the memories of that first battle flashing in his mind. "That power...was too much for Umbreon...for any Pokémon..." He collapsed into a heap on a nearby bench. "He never once said anything. He stood by me. He never left me." He slumped and said, "He should have." "But he didn't," Meilan replied, floating towards him. "He spoke to me once. He said that he stood by you, in hopes of one day seeing you as you once were. He cares for you, Jason. And you have a chance to save him." Jason blinked, and considered that notion for a moment. He stuck a hand inside his pocket, and scooped out his Poké Balls. Contained within them were less than a dozen Dark-types, each with some similarities, each with some differences. He'd need them to save Umbreon, but he had to think carefully. Houndoom and Mightyena worked well together; almost too well. He'd blindly relied on his strength to win, and Houndoom had blindly followed Mightyena's every word. He didn't need that right now. Houndoom needed to stay as a Fire-type. Mightyena was sitting this one out. Absol was far from stupid, as had been demonstrated by his clash with Umbreon's captors. He needed to stay. Crawdaunt was intelligent, and would hold back in a fight; they wanted to save Umbreon, not go and send the place down on their heads. Cacturne was powerful, yes, but insane and impossible to control. He needed something to help him that would care about its target, not thrash about madly. Cacturne was out. Jason decided against keeping his brutish Sharpedo handy. Sableye was clever, and would listen to orders, as his encounter with Mimic had taught him. Shiftry was in the same category. Tyranitar was always unreasonable, and couldn't be counted on for something like this. Sneasel was more lover than fighter, but he needed all he could get. And Murkrow would only be a distraction. He discreetly placed five Poké Balls back in his left pocket and six in his right. He rose to his feet and said, "I'm going after Umbreon." Meilan wasn't surprised by his statement, but asked, "You plan on barreling in?" "No," Jason replied, walking to the hovercycle and revving it up. "I'll improvise." He looked to the Gardevoir, and considered what he should say. "You have larger concerns, child," the Gardevoir replied. "Go. Your friend needs you." She looked to Meilan and said, "Both of you." Meilan looked to the Gardevoir, then Jason, and smiled slightly. "You may have your wish, Umbreon." With those words, she moved to the sidecar and deposited herself within it. As the hovercycle sped off, the Gardevoir sighed. "Well done, Seraphim," a voice intoned. "How did you do it?" "I did very little," Seraphim replied. "I merely pointed the poor boy in the proper direction. He needed guidance, and a reason to end his obsession. He's been on that path for some time now, and this has accelerated his progress quite nicely. Given time, he'll be better than new. Wiser, perhaps." She turned and asked her guest, "But why have you suddenly taken an interest in my activities? I thought your quarry was off near Mauville." "They are," Sabrina replied, taking a second to lightly stroke the top of a nearby crystal ball. "However, Alex and Bob are both concerned with something else right now, and Mimic will no doubt aid them. The girl's experiences are reaching a critical point; she is about to face her proverbial 'maker', and I do not wish to interfere. As for the boy, well..." A light grin crossed the psychic's lips, and she said, "Whatever shall happen, shall happen." Seraphim sighed, and gently scratched behind her Skitty's ears. "No wonder the girl has such low respect for you." A small, bluish Pokémon leapt out from behind a large chart, leaving Seraphim to sigh again as it declared, "Wynaut!" TBC! [NS: Okay, I took a few liberties here with this post. Jason's personality shift may be a little forced: seems that way to me anyway. Still, I think he's about lived up his usefulness. Seraphim? Call that me being cute and mulling over a few things. A Gardevoir working as a clarevoyant seemed like a neat concept to me, so I decided to work it into the post. As for her family, well, call that a glimpse of what may have been. Expect to see more of the Seviper and Gyarados, and maybe Wynaut; they're sticking around, promise. Also, where the hell is everyone? I know why Beth's been busy, but where's everyone else gotten to?] William Rendfeld Creator of Echowarrior and Alex Masters 178,000 Excellent Author Points 1 'I knew odd pokefacts that confused a bread crumb' point. 20 Y2Tech Points