From: "Bandraptor" <bandraptor@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [PW!] On to the lab! Date: Saturday, February 21, 2004 9:55 AM Clayton wrote: > A few seconds later, Derek popped out. "So that's what it was." He observed. > > "You felt it too, huh?" Alex asked > > "Not exactly. I felt a spike of energy from that direction." Derek says, pointing > towards the Petalburg Woods. "It had to be strong to feel it from here and know > what direction it's in. I'm not that good at sensing things by non-visual means. > By the way, John should be done in there shortly -- something about a pokeball > breaking healing machines I think. > > So the group waited a bit for John to come out. While they waited, another little > party of people had made their way towards the lab. Two more humans and two > more pokemon congregated towards the lab. Unlike the organized mob that > was already there, this little party had happier things to discuss-- Like the start of > a new rookie trainer's journey. > > "You sure about this dad?" the boy asked. > > "I'm sure Jeff. Besides, your brother is out ther somewhere. He'll help you out. > And I'm sure you'll make friends along your way. Now go on and see the > Professor. But don't interrupt him if he's busy with someone." Mike said to > his son, ruffling his hair just to annoy the younger boy. > > "Daaad," Jeff whined a bit before making his way to the Lab's front door > hesitantly. The adventure thrilled the boy, as did the pokemon inside. It was > the idea of being separated from his parents so far from home that was > scary to him. While John is discussing the status of his makeshift Pokeball with Professor Birch, and the rest of the group is debating the best way to get to Petalburg, and Jeff is struggling to confront his fears; Nori is gazing out in the direction of Littleroot Pier. After a long period of silence, she turns to her Blastoise and says, "We should've stayed on the S.S. Tidal. I can't believe that we're wasting time searching for the corpse of some miserable Trainer while the Pokemon who stole my Dodrio and my Persian are sailing off into the distance..." Big Time, the Larvitar who's resting in Nori's arms, knows that the "miserable Trainer" who Nori's talking about is Smasher, and he becomes even more depressed than usual when he hears Nori talking about him as if he's dead. He tells her that he still thinks that Smasher is alive, and that he wishes that she would be a little more supportive of the rescue effort, "Larvi, larvitar." "If we tracked them down, they might've decided that they wanted to come with us." Rubix responds to Nori's complaint, "I don't want to have anything to do with Blizzard and her little 'posse'. I hope Cerberus kills all three of them." "Quit being such a jerk!" Nori snaps, "That's a pretty lame excuse. Next you're gonna tell me that you can't help me look for my lost Pokemon because you want to go clothes shopping instead." Rubix groans, "Are you familiar with the phrase, 'flogging a dead horse'?" For some reason, this comment makes Nori go all teary-eyed. She sighs wistfully, "Aw...Cerberus used to *love* mangling Ponyta corpses." Big Time is beginning to wonder if Nori and Rubix are just going to continue arguing, and ignore him completely, when out of the blue, Nori addresses him: "Hey, Big Time." "Lar?" Big Time blinks in surprise, and twists around in her arms so he can face her. "You know, I've been meaning to thank you for helping me out back on the S.S. Tidal. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even know who stole my Pokemon." Big Time shrugs, spiritlessly. "Lar..." "And if it wasn't for you, I never would've been able to talk my way out of that situation with the midget and the transvestite." Nori continues, "Since you helped me out, I'm going to help you out, too! I may not think that Smasher is alive, and I think that he was wrong for capturing you, but I know that he means a lot to you, so I'm going to help you find him!" Big Time ventures a cautious smile. "Larvitar?" "Sure!" Nori reaffirms, "We're friends, and friends help each other out!" Her voice suddenly loses its cheerful tone as she mutters, "That's something a certain Blastoise could stand to learn..." Big Time's face falls when he realizes that Nori is just using him to get back at Rubix. He heaves a heavy sigh, and says, "Larvitar..." Rubix concurs with Big Time's sentiment, "Sure, Nori. Put the Larvitar in the middle. You're about as mature as Magneton Kutcher." TBC? [NS: Before getting too involved in the current plotline, I wanted to quickly address some of my loose ends from the Tidal thread.] --Beth