From: "MechaGojira - (Witty Phrase)" <jorgenospam@rocketpunch.net> Subject: [PW!] Death Scythe Hell! Date: Friday, January 09, 2004 11:51 PM Last time, Dan Ando and his two pokemon, Zoffy the Houndour and Apollo the Elekid, were on their way to Cerulean City to further develop a news story... the disappearance of several trained pokemon around Cerulean City, and more importantly, to develop his own (nonexistent) skills as a trainer. Just a stone's throw away from Saffron City, things begin to get interesting. "I... I think I heard something in those bushes. What do I do next?" SCYTHEEEEEEEER!!! ==== PokéWars! Death Scythe Hell! MechaGojira ==== Appearing to Dan as nothing but a blur, an enraged Scyther tears through his blue jacket, knocking him off his bike and onto the dirt path. The Scyther makes another dive for him, this time landing on his chest and trying to cut Dan up close, but Apollo's Flash attack blinds him momentarily, granting Dan the opportunity he needs to get back on his feet. Dan thinks back to the few notes he made about certain pokemon types, and recalls that Scythers are aggravated by the color red. "I'm clothed in mostly blue and white, though... there is not a trace of red in my attire! Why is this Scyther enraged?" he wonders, just as the Scyther dives at him again. He rolls out of the way in the nick of time. Zoffy growls as Apollo prepares to battle the attacking Scyther. SCYTHEEEEEEEEEER!!! "Apollo, Thunderbolt!" The Elekid channels a bolt of energy from his two head "plugs" towards the Scyther, stunning him in mid leap. "Let's keep this up, I'm gonna catch him." The Scyther splits into three mirror-images of itself, which surround Dan and his pokemon for a moment, and vanish into the nearby bushes. In the distance towards the city, the trio hears another cry of "Scytheeeeeeeeer!!". Dan realizes that he shouldn't have announced his intentions, perhaps. He thanks Apollo, who then presses the button on the only pokeball on Dan's belt and vanishes. Dan and Zoffy continue walking and talking, nearing the back alleys on the outskirts of Saffron City. Dan is certain that the Scyther fled in this direction, however, so he and Zoffy remain cautious. The two stop to purchase a drink from an outdoor vending machine. "I don't think that pokemon are bad, Zoffy. We irritated the Scyther and it acted in self defense, nothing more. But..." Dan kneels to hold Zoffy's lemonade bottle, so he can drink it. "(But what?)" "...I'm kinda peeved that I let my first chance at catching a pokemon disappear like that." "(Don't be thinking about that, let's eat!)" Zoffy finishes his lemonade, and Dan opens his. He stops outside an upscale café and sets his bike on a bike rack. "You're right. Food." Dan locks his bike, and they walk past the café into the Brock's Diner next door. **** As Dan indulges in a half pound burger, Zoffy and Apollo pig out on the finest pokemon food available, after all, Brock's Diner caters fine tastes to every customer. As they finish their meal, the three engage in a conversation about the developing story Dan is supposed to cover in Cerulean, and if they are in the same danger of "vanishing". He assures the two pokemon that he would never allow anything to happen to them, or any of the new pokemon friends they were bound to make in the near future. The conversation wraps up with questions about whether other pokemon will be like "that" Scyther, but Dan is convinced that this morning was was just nothing but crazy luck. Dumb, crazy luck. Dan worries some more about not managing his time well, but his pokemon talk him out of that mood. As they leave, Apollo retreats to the comfort of his pokeball. **** "(Good eatin'... you look stuffed.)" "I've never had so much to eat in my life... at least I wont have to eat until we hit Cerulean, right?" Dan retrieves his bike from the rack at which he left it. Zoffy hops onto the back of Dan's backpack, holding on to the sides with his paws, and Dan begins to pedal through the crowded streets of Kanto's largest city, avoiding traffic and pedestrians. Dan tries to keep track of other trainers he spots, so he can perhaps improve his own approach. The pair finds themselves in an alley behind a few small businesses, where various trucks are being loaded and unloaded. "Crap," he says, "wrong turn." As Dan reaches the alley's intersection to turn left, a white truck appears from behind and barely misses him as it too turns left. Dan hears faint cries for names he doesn't know or recognize, and observes the half-open truck. "That truck has pokemon in it!" He chases after the truck, curious as to why caged pokemon would be in the back of an unmarked truck in Saffron City. The two chase the truck through the city streets, the truck's driver unaware that he is being followed. Dan wonders if these pokemon have any connection to those reported missing in Cerulean. They follow the truck to a deserted back road with trees lining both sides while discussing theories as to what connection this truck may have to the vanishing pokemon. The truck then comes to an unexpected halt, swerving into the trees and flipping onto its driver's side! Dan slides his bike away from the crash, barely missing a tree on the opposite side of the dirt road, and knocking Zoffy off the bike entirely. Dan checks the Houndour, which remains uninjured, and then turns his attention to the truck. Countless small pokemon like Pidgeys and Pichus rush out of their cages, and disappear into the wilderness. SCYTHEEEEEEEER!!! "......No!" a chill runs down Dan's spine as the realization of who is to blame sets in. The wild Scyther bursts through the glass of the passenger side window. It lands on the branch of a tree, across from Dan and Zoffy. The Scyther stares at Dan and Zoffy, enraged for no apparent reason. "(You... again!)" "What!?" Zoffy barks at the Scyther as Dan lies on the ground, confused. "(You're the same as they are... the same as all of them!)" the Scyther points at the cab of the truck, to the unconscious drivers within. "(I will not rest until I get revenge for what they did to my trainer! I am Ryuki the Scyther, and I will taste vengeance yet... even if I must fight every one of you on this planet, I will have revenge on all of you!)" "But I haven't..." "(You'll be seeing me soon... or maybe.... you wont even get the chance...!)" the Scyther cackles madly and vanishes once again, leaving Dan perplexed. "(Does he have a grudge against humans... for something these guys did to his trainer?)" Zoffy asks. "Why else would he take his rage out on me? I'd imagine... his trainer was a human too, this is all too counter-intuitive." Dan and Zoffy continue their conversation and take a few pictures of the truck and the broken cages in the back. The top-facing passenger door of the truck opens revealing a black, gloved hand, and then another with a gun. The two panic and flee the scene without looking back, hearing a cry of "Don't interfere again, damned kids! You hear me!? Never agaaaain!" Zoffy dials for the police on Dan's laptop computer, but he is out of range. After repeated attempts, the call finally connects. **** Several of Saffron's police investigate the scene as one takes careful notes of Dan's description of the truck, and take a copies of Dan's pictures. In the few minutes it took for the police to meet with Dan and reach the scene, the truck vanished, along with all signs that it had ever been there. They allow Dan to go, concluding that this was probably the work of Team Rocket or a similar organization, but he stays at the scene and writes up an article on the occurrence, planning to mail it to the Xpoze in the evening. They leave the scene shortly after the police wrap up their investigation, heading north toward Cerulean on Route 5. "Getting into crazy incidents like this... that's what gets me the good articles. I hope all those pokemon got home alright." "(...you left out all mention of the Scyther, didn't you?)" "That's a little too crazy... for now. The Police wouldn't have bought it, and I don't think our public will react well to a Scyther out to hurt all humans... nor would the staff react well to one with intentions to hurt their photo guy." "(That's a good idea. Are you worried about it coming back?)" "A little, Zoffy. But right now, I'm worried about having wasted most of the day without a single battle or catch..." "(Don't.)" "We'll find something on our way to Cerulean City..." The two walk some more, but come to complete stop as Dan spots something in a tree. "...like that Primeape!" The two observe a Primeape approaching them with fists blazing. As it nears, Dan steps back to allow Zoffy to take care of business. The swift Houndour avoids the Primeape's first strike and retaliates with an Ember attack of its own. Zoffy growls at the Primeape, and the two pokemon circle each other, ready to strike. "Onward, Zoffy! To our first victory!" TBC -- MechaGojira #28 http://www.rocketpunch.net jorge[at]rocketpunch[dot]net