From: "William Rendfeld" <warendfeld@aol.com> Subject: [PW!] Jailhouse Rocked, Now Rolling Date: Friday, May 07, 2004 10:25 PM >By some freakish coincidence, Mariana, Elsa and their pokemon were the last >"fugitives" to go up the ladder to their freedom. But something broke the >ladder partway, allowing one to escape and one to fall. Elsa landed right on >the Aqua duo and it had to hurt. > >"No officer can shoot that good," Leif noted disapprovngly, as a large, but >weak >Solarbeam convinced the pilot to fly away while the helicopter was in one >piece. > >"Good thing I ain't a cop. Kudos on the Sleep Powder though," a voice said, >obscured by shadows. > >"Who are you?" > >"Depends on if you want to attack or talk. I prefer talk since I don't want >to hurt >anyone." > >"The voice sounds familiar," someone noted. > >"Hope so, I've met all but one of you I think. Though a suggestion, if you >slag the bars >a bit and free the Magmas, they might blame this on them." > >"Why help us?" Peabody asked. > >"Honestly, I'd like some help. Plus, this will absolutely piss off the >resident pyros. > >"And if we don't help you?" Was Sven's rather rebellious comeback > >"Meh, I'll find my answers elsewhere. No biggie. If you want to chat, >though, >look near the Pokemon Center for a dangling vine. Just don't pull too hard >cause >it's attached," the figure said before leaving completely. > >Those still in the prison was wondering what that was about. Elsa was >wondering >what the line about being attached meant. > >Outside, now safe with Raffy, Bob grinned. Hopefully this was the first step >in >ridding himself of this bloody Magma-induced personality for good. He >whistled >all the way back towards the Pokemon Center. > Leif shook his head; this situation was not getting better. "You okay, miss?" Peabody asked as he helped Elsa to her feet, Jaws and Solitaire helping with her two Pokémon. "Yes, thanks," Elsa replied. "What was that?" "I'm guessing that's the reason why you were arrested," Leif replied, considering the situation. He then turned to the young girl and said, "You must be new to the organization. As you know by now, I am Leif, an Aqua Administrator in charge of the Special Operations division." "Special Operations?" Elsa asked. "We specifically deal with missions requiring high levels of stealth," Leif explained. "These two men with me are Sven and Peabody, field operatives under my command. You've already spoken with Solitaire, and you've met Jaws." A light cough from one large Rhydon later, he added, "Oh yes, this is Grimlock. He's the one who freed your two Pokémon. And you are?" "Wanda," Elsa quickly answered, hoping to maintain her cover as long as possible. "Wanda," Leif repeated. "Welcome to the organization. We'll get you and your Pokémon to our base shortly, but first we have a few tracks to cover." Turning to the large Rhydon, he asked, "Grimlock, if you'd be so kind as to follow our recent acquaintance's suggestion?" "Me see no reason not to," Grimlock replied as he lumbered off into the jail to see about freeing the Magmas within. "In the meantime, you're a bit conspicuous with that uniform," Leif noted, taking off his long coat to reveal a deep blue business suit underneath. "Keep this on until you can find some new clothes." "We've still got a little cash from the milk run earlier, so we should be able to get you something close to your size," Peabody assured the young woman. "Thank you," Elsa replied, slipping on the coat over her Aqua uniform. "In the meantime, I'm going to see about contacting our beam-shooting friend," Leif said. "In the meantime, you three had best stick close until Grimlock gets back. I'll meet up with you later once I get in touch with home base." "Understood," Sven accepted with a nod. With those words, Leif recalled Loki and silently walked off, leaving the two elder professionals alone with the new recruit. As the trio moved to a less conspicuous area, Peabody asked, "So, been with us long?" - "Damn Aquas," a Team Magma agent cursed to himself. "They get all the luck. What is it with people and water?" "Me honestly have no clue," Grimlock replied, lumbering into the cell block. "Now me suggest you stand back." "Why should I?" the Magma grunt asked. Grimlock answered by spitting a Flamethrower attack at a nearby desk. Every Magma immediately backed up into the farthest corner of their cells. The Rhydon smiled. "Smart Magmas. Please watch feet when leaving cells." He then proceeded to blast the bars with flames, quickly melting the iron at each cell into small, rapidly cooling puddles. "Have nice day." - Leif, meanwhile, had made his way to the Pokémon Center, and noticed a single vine drooping down near the center's entrance. He gave it a gentle tug, then watched it retract slowly. "Thank you for not yanking," the voice from earlier replied. Leif looked over to a small bench, a man clad in a cloak with a Girafarig standing nearby. "I take it you're the one with the aim." "I've just had a lot of practice," the cloaked figure replied. "I take it you know who I am." "I have a habit of getting as much information as I can on people," Leif replied as he took a seat. "Bob Raiser, a young Pokémon breeder in training from Johto. You participated in the last Whirl Cup Competition, then appeared at the Mossdeep Gym a few months later. A video recording of that made it to the main offices at Team Aqua from an anonymous source." "Not quite anonymous," Bob admitted, remembering the incident quite well. "At any rate, that was how Aqua found out about you," Leif noted. "And how I found out about you. I kept most of the information relating to your background to myself, however." "Any particular reason why?" the breeder asked. "I have a policy about harming innocents," Leif explained. "I don't. If I told my superiors about you and your background, they'd send people after your family. Not only would that raise a few problems from Team Rocket, but it doesn't sit well with me. I'm already to blame for harm to one family, I don't want to feel the guilt for another." Switching subjects, he asked, "So, why exactly did you want my attention?" "Not long ago, I was captured by Team Magma," Bob explained. "They added a second personality to keep me in line. It doesn't totally work, but it's still in there." "And you want me to see about possibly removing it?" Leif surmised. "Fair enough. Our group has a base at an abandoned ocean liner southwest of Slateport City. Once I arrange transport there, you can accompany myself and my agents, and I can call in a couple psychics that I know." "You're agreeing a little readily," Bob noted. "What makes you think I won't try to kill you and your people?" "Gut instinct," Leif replied. "Besides, if you wanted me dead, I'd be dead already." He finally turned to the cloaked man beside him and asked, "So, do we have an agreement?" TBC 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