From: "Steffan Alun" <sha3@aber.ac.uk> Subject: [PW!] Geodude Marketing Date: Friday, May 07, 2004 6:29 PM Diego was at a loss. He'd been trying for several days to control the Geodude he'd been sent, apparently named Density, but with no luck. Indeed, Density didn't seem to notice Diego at all as he blurted command after command. "Give it up, Diego," said Lauren, his partner, as once again, Density wandered away from battle to explore a small shrub. "She'll listen to me, Lauren!" exclaimed Diego. "I know she will!" "Not a hope," said Lauren. "And stop calling it a "she". We're flogging it to the next people we see." A tear came to Diego's eye as he watched Density pouncing on something green. She picked the green thing up and handed it up to Diego. "Gulpin!" squealed the Pokémon as Diego took it. "She's starting to like me," said Diego. "Aren't you, girl?" "Mmm," said Density, her face screwed up in concentration. "Shut it, Diego," said Lauren. "We need to get some money and we need a few jobs under our belt. The new boss doesn't sound too forgiving." Lauren removed an empty PokéBall from her pocket and trapped the Gulpin in Diego's hand inside it. "No use in wasting opportunities," she said off-handedly as she pocketed the Ball. She threw Density a look. "ANY opportunities." PokéWars!: Lauren and Diego "Geodude Marketing" Steffan Alun "Hey! You!" Lauren looked irritated as she was approached by a young boy, roughly as short as Diego, wearing a blue cap approach her. "I saw you, so we have to battle!" "What?" Lauren laughed. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, and I once heard a man say that Growlithes can't look up." "They CAN'T!" insisted Diego. The youngster wasn't to be put off. "You have to fight! Trainers are bound to fight if they see one another." "Ha!" spat Lauren. "That's a rule, is it? Anyway, we're not trainers." "What's a Growlithe, anyway?" asked the youngster, who was struggling to keep up with Lauren's barrage of tangents. "A Pokémon, of course, you stu-" Lauren stopped. "Of course! You're foreign!" "Am not. You are." "Listen, boy. What's your name?" "Timmy," said the youngster. "Do you like rare Pokémon?" asked Lauren snidely. "I got an Aron!" said Timmy defensively. "Can't get 'em in many places. My mum got me mine in Dewford, which is-" "I meant REALLY rare Pokémon," said Lauren, pulling Diego closer by his wrist. "Ones from another continent." Timmy gasped. "I heard about this one Pokémon. Rattata. Apparently-" "Oh, ours is MUCH better than that," grinned Lauren. "Show him, Diego." Sulkily, Diego pulled out his Pokéball. "Go, Density." The Geodude looked at Timmy, her eyes filled with optimism, but then turned away and started punching the floor. "A GEODUDE?" asked Timmy. "That's right!" said Lauren. "A super-rare, mega-awesome Geo-" "A stinkin' GEODUDE?!" "Well...yes, a Geodude!" said Lauren again, almost losing control of the situation. "All the way from distant Kanto." "They're EVERYWHERE!" said Timmy. "In caves, under rocks, you name it. My mum had to beat off a whole army of them to get my Aron." Diego brightened considerably. He gave Density an affectionate pat on the head. "Well, it's yours for a price," said Lauren impatiently. "Ain't got no money anyway," said Timmy. "Lost it all fighting." "Then you need a better Pokémon so you start winning, right?" said Lauren encouragingly. "This Geodude's perfect. It's- I mean, SHE's a good fighter." "I suppose I could trade," said Timmy. "I got an Electrike that's pretty good if you want." Lauren's temple throbbed as she imagined reporting to the new boss that she'd traded away the Geodude he'd given them for another Electrike, the same Pokémon they'd sent in return. Maybe he wouldn't mind, but variety would still be a better bargaining tool. Still, she had that Gulpin, and that was better than nothing. "Can you think of nobody who'd want a Geodude?" she asked meekly. "Sure!" replied Timmy. "They'd probably pay a good two hundred for one." "Two hundred? No more?" "Course not. Not when you can catch one in a PokéBall so easily." Lauren looked annoyed. She strode away without another word, Diego recalling Density and struggling to keep up. "You got your wish, Diego," she fumed. "That thing'll be worth more to us if we keep hold of it for a while-" "So we can battle people, weaken them, and steal their money?" asked Diego enthusiastically. "Of COURSE not!" shouted Lauren. "You're wrong in the head, Diego. What I mean is, a Graveler will fetch much more than a lowly Geodude." "Ah." TBC?