From: "Jom Tones" <publicenemanumberone@hotmail.nospam.com> Subject: [PW!] So much for a 'complete' Pokédex... Date: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 7:53 PM They'd been walking for a few days now, in and around the Petalburg city woods, without much to do. They'd been avoiding all the main roads and generally trying to lay low because people may be looking for Huck. In truth though, they weren't really all that bothered. On sunny afternoon Arren decided to ask Huck exactly how bad at Training he really was. Huck, never one to back down from a session of showing off decided that he would demonstrate to both Scyther and Arren exactly how bad he was. 'What, are you going to challenge me and Scyther to a battle?' Arren piped enthusiastically from around Scyther's neck. Huck shook his head. Wouldn't you just love that, he thought. Huck may be able to speak to Scyther, but there was absolutely no question as to where the Pokémon's loyalties lay. Luckily, the tension had evaporated between Huck and Arren the second that the younger boy had realised this. 'Sorry buddy, no can do. He'd slaughter my poor little Pokémon. Besides, I may be crap, but I don't really want to humiliate myself.' Arren chuckled with devilish pride. Neither knew exactly how strong Scyther was, but it didn't take a genius to know that he was very powerful. His calm, knowledge and experience all whispered of hidden strength - not to mention those intimidating scars. Fortunately, neither Scyther nor Arren were show offs, so they weren't going to push the issue. Despite a strong drive of curiosity, Arren was far from power mad. Like Huck, his primary goal was answers, not infamy. 'I thought we'd find a secluded glade,' Huck said, lumbering half of the weight that Arren used to carry all by himself. He'd begun to regret offering to take the load, but the kid was two years younger than him and had a hell of a lot more stamina. Huck wasn't going to give in to Arren and lose face in front of him. Besides, he thought of it more as a way of making himself look a bit servile. Since the incident with Scyther's vocal revelation, Huck had been trying to find ways of making himself look more normal in Arren's eyes. It was also better if he was a good boy in front of Scyther, Huck was still wary of him. Arren quite enjoyed watching him struggle - it was a childish satisfaction, but he didn't care, Huck had been daft enough to offer in the first place. The moment they found a big enough glade, Huck lowered his pack to the ground and took out his Pokéballs. Scyther lowered Arren to the ground and then picked him up with the blunt sides of his blades, making a seat of sorts that would allow him to see the demonstration. 'They aren't much,' Huck began, remembering just how poo they really were. 'Just get on with it,' Arren replied, Scyther chuckled lowly. May as well start with the smallest, Huck thought as he summoned Bellsprout from his ball. Huck looked dismayed, he hardly made it above the tall grass. He opened his arms up and the small Pokémon leapt into them. Bellsprout climbed onto Huck's shoulder and eyed Scyther warily. Second, he summoned Azurill and she playfully began bouncing around in the grass, squeaking like the silly little girl she was. It was horrendously cute, inwardly Huck quailed - why didn't he have cool 'hard' Pokémon? He looked back at his audience, Arren was childishly trying to conceal a smile, and Scyther was sniggering. At first he'd thought this would be a nice way to claw some attention and sympathy. But, as he watched Azurill bounce around in the grass, whistling 'Wheee!' to herself, he was beginning to feel that all he'd be getting was ridicule. He tried to laugh like it was all a big joke, but he knew all too well that he was the big joke. Next he summoned Wingull. Huck liked Wingull, he was one of his best Pokémon; not that that was saying much, but still, he had an air of decency about him. He did however have an unfortunate habit of purging his bowels on Huck's food, so he was never summoned when there were french-fries or coffee around. Wingull-style cappuccino was not nice. Arren, who had few other Pokémon besides Scyther, was wide eyed with curiosity, but Huck felt that he wasn't really displaying the side of Pokémon worthy of demonstration. With an air of regret, Huck summoned his last Pokémon - Numel. Numel, despite being his most powerful and most impressive, was still a bit lame. He was, after all a slow, dopey looking beast. Like Wingull, his bowel restraint was a little unreliable. If one stood to close to either end of Numel, one ran the risk of getting one's eyebrows singed or cheek's charred. 'So,' Huck said, as conversationally as he could manage, 'What do you think?' Arren and Scyther, stood/sat and assessed Huck's efforts. 'Well, um, they're quite cool, I suppose,' Was Arren's commendable effort. Arren, recently re-affirmed of his position in Scyther's eyes, felt quite sorry for Huck as he stood there with his lame Pokémon. His Bellsprout seemed to be wilting slightly; his Azurill seemed to live in a little world of her own; Wingull was okay; but Numel was distinctly lame. 'So much for a complete Pokédex eh?' Huck chuckled, bravely. Arren listened as Scyther passed comment, Huck's face fell. 'Dude,' he replied, 'That was cold.' The two proceeded to laugh. Arren had noticed that despite their ability to communicate, there was always a level of tension between them. During one of their first three way conversations, Huck seemed to paraphrase what Scyther had said. Scyther had growled menacingly, and Huck's voice jumped into a high register as he stumbled over the words to amend his mistake. Since then, Huck had translated word for word, but seemed unwilling to share the latest comment. Azurill had found a particularly spongey piece of turf and was doing loop-the-loops, using her tail as a spring. Huck sighed. 'Boy,' Scyther called, 'Look, yonder. An Electrike.' Scyther was referring to the partially hidden Pokémon in the grass, prowling and eyeing Azurill with narrowed eyes. Before he could warn her though, the sharp-toothed creature had bounded through the grass and over the distance between itself and Azurill. The poor blue Pokémon screeched at the last minute as the Electrike dived out and bit her tail. Without having noticed, Huck found that his Pokémon were now all hiding behind him. Azurill bounced feebly back towards Huck, sobbing. Her tail had already swollen up like a soccer ball. Huck, felt more than a little frustrated at the entire situation. He kneeled down and stroked the blubbing little Pokémon. 'Come on,' He encouraged kindly, holding back the tide of frustration, 'it's okay, you aren't going to take that from a little squirt like him are you?' The Electrike stood there, growling inanely like the nasty little bastard it was. What was worse was knowing that this was the only way he could talk to Azurill. Anything that wasn't a suck-up compliment was a mortal insult - on the other hand, you had to be forceful otherwise you just ended up exchanging baby talk and getting nowhere. Azurill was a very one minded Pokémon and Huck had to struggle to make her see sense. 'Blubble,' she gurgled. 'Don't take that tone of voice with me young lady. I didn't bite you,' Huck replied. 'Blurble-wurble,' 'You aren't going to let that big bully walk away from this having beaten you are you?' 'Bibble,' 'Too right you aren't. March back out there and show him who's boss!' 'Blobblewobble,' 'What? Being 'too cute to fight' is hardly a good excuse. You can't let chumps like him walk all over you.' 'Bibblebobble,' 'That's the spirit. Now get out there and Bubble his nasty ass!' With that, a now mean faced Azurill, hopped forward and summoned up a critical ball of Bubble. The Electrike was knocked backwards, yelping. It ran off, tail between it's stumpy green legs. Arren and Scyther applauded little Azurill, who bounced in the grass, giggling with glee. Huck, congratulated her with a rub behind the ears, to which she purred noisily. Without much further thought he summoned his team back into their balls. 'I've never seen a Pokémon fight,' Arren said conversationally, as Huck shouldered the backpack again. 'It was hardly what I'd call a fight. Any other Pokémon would have skewered her. No problem,' Huck replied, feeling like the wind had been wrenched from his sails. He liked being the center of attention, but rarely at his own expense. His parents had always told him he was useless. He had always endeavoured to be anything but. 'I enjoyed it though,' Arren said. Huck slowly realised that he was being serious, 'I thought she was very brave to stand up to that nasty little Pokémon.' 'I suppose she was a bit,' Huck said, beginning to enjoy the sympathetic attention, 'Although I did have to emotionally bribe her to do it.' 'Still, she did it.' Huck nodded. He looked up. They'd been walking back into the cover of the trees, Scyther had stopped. He was pointing a something on a tree stump. Huck's blood ran cold as the realisation of what it was came to him. The words 'Wanted!' and 'Nathaniel Forrester,' scorched into his mind while he stared at his own vacant mugshot. He didn't have time to stare at it for too long though. Suddenly his world was once again filled with white light. 'TRAITOR!' He was vaguely aware of hitting the ground, the sensation of grass moving so fast against his skin as to cause tiny cuts, the pounding echo as his head bounced along the earth. He looked up - where the sun had been a moment before, there was now a giant looming silhouette. As he passed into oblivion, he heard a terrified cry. 'Scyther! NOOOOOO!!!' -- Hem Hem - oiseau bum talent- - JomTones publicenemanumberone@hotmail.nospam.com