From: "William Rendfeld" <warendfeld@aol.com> Subject: Re: [PW!] The Test of Training Date: Friday, July 09, 2004 11:41 PM [NS: Well, this jumpstarted things a bit. Sorry if this is long, but I've got a lot to establish here.] >About dusk, Bob and Thyme retuned to the Pokemon Center, still wondering >if his brother is safe. Probably the older sibling complex that all kids >have. >But something in his grass-type gut was telling him that something was wrong. >Either that or it was a bad hamburger. > >The door openned with a minimum of noise or flourish, just the tinkling of a >bell. Bob's hopeful look faded when he saw Alex with conflicting emotions >roll across her face while Ben and Sutur attempted to calm her. Nori >and Rubix looked like they were expecting an insane psychic at any moment. >The others weren't as readable but it was clear that something was wrong. > Looking about at the apparent aftermath before him, Bob asked, "Did I miss something?" "We've had a rough day," Alex replied tersely. "You remember that we split up to look for Smasher, right? All Mimic and Surtur found was a mob boss, and all we found was trouble." "ShadowWarrior nearly got eaten by a Persian," Ben explained. "And that was only the start of it..." - As Rubix rubbed his own temples in annoyance over Nori's last statement (one that seemed grossly inconsistent, even for her), Alex reappeared with a calm hand on Ben's shoulder. "Easy. This isn't the time for a fight." Grospoliner took a similar position near Blade, physically blocking the large Aggron with his telekinetically-propelled body and saying, #Please, wait for a moment. Allow Alexandria the chance to sort this out.# Blade looked at the smaller Metang, then at the large Tyranitar. He relented for the time being, but kept his gaze upon Avalanche and his companions. "Um, Alex?" ShadowWarrior piped up. "I hate to rush you, but whatever you're planning on doing, do it now..." His voice switched to a much more worried tone as he added, "Because in case you haven't noticed, SHE'S GONNA EAT ME!" "Give me a second, ShadowWarrior," Alex pleaded as she stepped forward. She took a respectable distance from Avalanche and said amiably, "Good morning. May I speak with you?" The Tyranitar shrugged. "<Okay,>" he replied. "Wonderful," Alex replied, much to Nori's surprise. "Your Persian friend is within inches of eating a friend of mine. Did he do something to offend her?" "<No,>" Avalanche replied. "<She's just hungry. We are too, but we don't want to eat a Murkrow. At least, I don't want to.>" "Coolta tentacool tent cool," the Tentacool in his grip noted in agreement. "Hey, watch it!" ShadowWarrior replied. "I'm a Murkrow, not a Pidgey!" "So she's just hungry, eh?" Alex asked. "Well, hunger I can deal with. Thanks." She then turned her attention to Blizzard and asked, "Miss Persian?" "Purrr?" Blizzard asked in curiosity, barely raising her head towards Alex. "I have a proposition for you," Alex replied. "Let my friend go, and I will give you and your associates enough food to last you a month, including today. And I'm certain that someone as delicate as you would not enjoy rifling through trash barrels to receive meals." Blizzard considered the girl's words for a moment. To ruin fur so fine as hers on menial tasks would be demeaning. And by releasing the Murkrow underneath her paw, her cohorts and, more importantly she herself, would receive a generous amount of food. Still, she was famished... "Do dodrio!" Cerberus screeched with his middle head. He proceeded to make several curt squawks, leaving Alex to wait and worry. After a few seconds, Alex gave a sigh of relief as Blizzard removed her paw from ShadowWarrior, who quickly skittered off into Alex's waiting arms. "You okay?" Alex asked. "Oh yeah, just give me a couple seconds to get my heart out of my throat," ShadowWarrior replied, still a bit panicked by his near-death experience. Alex smiled; he'd be okay with time. She then reached into her backpack and pulled out her cell phone, quickly dialing in a single number. "Hello, Culinary Captains? This is Alexandria Masters, I'd like to order four cartons of the best Pokémon chow you have. Yes, the premium stuff. Have it delivered to the Slateport Market. Thanks again." As Alex cut the line from her end, Nori walked up to her and said, "Not bad. But how'd you get that number?" "When you're rich and prepared, you tend to have ideas for everything," Alex answered as she tucked her cell phone away. She then whispered, "Now, if you want to try and get them back, now's the..." After an uncomfortable pause in Alex's voice, Nori asked, "Alex?" "SKAAAAARRRRR!" "Incoming!" Alex cried, taking hold of Nori with her free hand and jumping out of the way mere seconds before a large Skarmory swooped down, nearly slicing into them with its Steel Wings. Alex skidded to a halt, allowing enough time for Nori to look up and say, "Looks like your friends are back." "I figured as much," Alex said. "Only it isn't those two who nearly killed us back on Dewford." - "Wait a second," Bob jumped in, "there were three hunters after you rather than two?" "Four," Alex replied. "But I'm getting ahead of myself." - Alex loosened her hold on Nori, deposited ShadowWarrior on the shorter girl's shoulder, and stepped forward, her eyes and mind focusing on the area around her. "All right, enough with the suspense. I know you're here, lady, so you may as well show yourself." A light, feminine chuckle came from nearby as those gathered shot their attention towards a nearby building near the docks. Atop its roof stood a woman in her mid-twenties with wild black hair, clad in a skintight black outfit that easily showed off her very feminine curves. "Grand and Walter were correct about you, child. Quite perceptive." "I'm glad my reputation precedes me," Alex replied. "Let's see; black hair, works with Grand and Walter, has a Skarmory. Raven, I'm guessing?" "As I said," the now-identified femme fatale replied, "quite perceptive. Still, where Grand and Walter failed, I'll deal the killing blow." With a malicious chuckle, she added, "So to speak. Skarmory, kill!" The flying Steel-type swooped around in the air, dive-bombing Alex's position. As it did so, however, Alex took a small step back before leaping skyward, using the Steel-type as a springboard to close the distance against her would-be assassin, and landed a small distance away from Raven's position. She rose to her feet, folded her arms across her chest, then asked, "Care to try again?" Raven smiled. "Well, someone's playing hard to get." "Sometimes you don't want people to get you," Alex replied. "You going to waste your time and mine with Silly Pokémon Tricks, or are we going to handle this the old fashioned way?" "Very well then," Raven replied, suddenly producing a naginata seemingly out of nowhere. He made a mad leap off the top of the building and declared, "Let us begin!" Alex countered by extending her pike and blocking the pole arm just underneath the blade as Raven landed, then pushing it upwards and twirling it about to make contact with Raven's side just as she blocked with her own weapon. As the two began their own little duel, the Skarmory began circling above Ben, Nori and the various Pokémon with them like a vulture. "Okay, Alex is fighting off tall, crazy and murderous, while that Skarmory is gonna kill us," Nori noted. "This is her fault." "She knows," ShadowWarrior spoke up. "But right now isn't the time to worry about it. Grospoliner and I'll handle Divebomb up there, you guys just think of something in case we don't pull it off." With those words, ShadowWarrior jumped from Nori's shoulders and flew up towards the terrorizing Skarmory and cried, "Hey you tin-plated turkey! Nobody tries to kill my trainer, you hear me?" As ShadowWarrior began lancing off Night Shade attacks against his opponent, Grospoliner attempted to blind the Steel-type with multiple Flash attacks. Neither did any proper damage as the Skarmory plowed into both Pokémon with a Steel Wing attack. ShadowWarrior was knocked back to the ground and quickly caught by Nori, while Grospoliner began pounding the Skarmory with both Metal Claws. "Easy," Nori advised as ShadowWarrior began to awaken. "You okay?" "Yeah, just a little shell-shocked," ShadowWarrior admitted, his head still spinning. Shaking himself to his senses, he noted, "By the way, I doubt she's alone." "That's a safe bet," Rubix noted as he readied his hydro cannons. He looked at Ben and noted, "You'd better have him at the ready too." "Right," Ben noted with a nod as Blade began looking around. "Something wrong?" "Agg ron," Blade replied, motioning to where Blizzard and company had been up until a moment ago. Nori noticed and replied, "Aw nuts." "We're better off," was Rubix's reply. Alex, meanwhile, was actually doing a decent job against her assassin opponent. Granted, she had received no luck in landing any substantial blows against her opponent, but had managed to prevent any harm to herself. "This is a standoff, little one," Raven noted. "You really don't expect to win, do you?" As Alex smiled and held her pike at the ready with her left hand, she moved her right to her best weapon and said, "Never underestimate your opponent, little-miss-oversized-bustline." In a split second, she moved her pike out of harm's way as she drew the Dorsal Excalibur, sliced the blade off Raven's naginata, and in quick succession pushed her against the wall with both weapons, the blade of her sword dangerously close to the jugular. "Now, I want information and I want it now," Alex said. "Who are you working for, and why is he after...?" Immediately sensing a problem, she jumped back mere seconds before a Hyper Beam lanced right where her head was seconds before. With a cocky grin, Raven turned to her side and asked, "What took you?" Alex followed her glance to find a Blaziken, its arm outstretched and steam lightly rising from its palm. "<We have more important plans now, Raven. We need to make our exit, now.>" "Oh come, we can finish the girl off right here," Raven noted, pulling a shuriken from a pouch in her top. "<That isn't what you four are being paid for,>" the Blaziken shot back. "<Besides, the advantage is lost.>" "How exactly?" Raven replied. "You're here, and that Blastoise is distracted by Skarmory." Grospoliner crashing to the ground near Ben and Nori's feet only helped Raven's claims. As Skarmory was about to shift gears and attack Alex's allies, a stream of flame burst towards the winged Steel-type, knocking it around and sending it earthward. "<Not now he isn't!>" the familiar voice of Surtur spoke up, having arrived. "<Rubix, Blaziken at four o' clock!>" "On it," Rubix replied, aiming towards the primary opponent at this point. The Blaziken responded by priming another Hyper Beam and firing once more, this time aiming at his Blastoise opponent. He fired, sending a massive burst of energy directly at the large turtle opposing him. The blast rocketed towards Rubix... ...Only to be blocked by Grospoliner. The high-offense Steel/Psychic-type fell to the ground, his steel coating charred and blackened. "<Damn,>" the Blaziken replied. "<Yes, unlucky, isn't it?>" Surtur shot back as he leapt into the scene, both arms wreathed in flame. "<Now leave.>" "Or what, some silly chicken will show us the door?" Raven asked. "No, I will," Alex replied, regaining her footing and readying both weapons. Before Alex could make good her thread, however, she spun around to block the blade of a second opponent. However, she gasped in surprise upon seeing this opponent, giving him the chance to kick her in the belly and knock her on her butt. As she groaned and rose to a sitting position, the new assailant said, "Don't count on it," before tossing down a small smoke capsule. As Alex coughed and weakly moved to her feet, she watched as Raven recalled her Skarmory before she and her opponent made their exit, escorted by the Blaziken. - "Mimic and Carol showed up a couple seconds later," Alex finished. "ShadowWarrior and Grospoliner are healing right now, and we've been here trying to sort things out since." "So who was the fourth assassin?" Bob asked. "He never gave a name," Alex replied. "But he looked exactly like a character from an anime I watch, 'G Gundam'; Domon Kosshu. Black hair, Asian features, sword on the back, long red cape, the works. And considering the name scheme so far, he probably calls himself 'Master'." "So four guys are after you," Bob realized. "But why?" "Because someone's paying them," Alex replied. "I just don't know who. I probably should've scanned Raven while I had the chance." "<Too many things were happening, Alexandria, you wouldn't have been able to sort it out,>" Surtur assured. "<Besides, that Blaziken could have taken your head off.>" "Surtur correct," Mimic noted. "You being dead not exactly good thing for you." Alex sighed, and rubbed her temples. "I hate this. I don't know who's pulling the strings here, I don't know the hows or whyfors of this situation, and I have no idea how to stop this without getting the information that I need. I feel so...helpless, like some traditional damsel in distress. And I hate damsels in distress." #Then perhaps what you need is more information,# Thyme suggested. "If I only knew where to look," Alex replied. Suddenly realizing that the Medicham was new, she asked, "Wait a second, who are you?" #I am Thyme,# the Medicham replied. #I was asked to assist your friend by Leif while he was at the Abandoned Ship.# Alex nodded in understanding as the bell to the Pokémon Center's door jingled. "That does sound like something Leif would do. I'll have to thank him if we ever meet." With a sigh to get back on subject, she added, "And you're right, I do need more information right now. If I knew where they were, who was pulling the strings, I could act. But right now, I can't do anything." A familiar voice soon piped up, "Then it's a good thing I came." Those gathered looked to the new arrival with some surprise. She was a middle-aged woman in her late thirties, with her red hair already tinged with gray at various areas. She stood at about 5'9", and wore simple business clothes and a pair of glasses over her light blue eyes. While most of the group present looked at the woman in curiosity, Alex's face showed an open and grateful smile. She rose from her chair and happily proclaimed as she rushed to the elder woman "Mom!" seconds before holding her in a tight and quickly reciprocated embrace. With everyone a little surprised at the open reception, Alex held her mother by the shoulders and asked, "What are you doing here?" "I said I'd have someone come to help deal with what's been happening," her mother replied. "Who better than me?" Alex sighed. "No wonder I'm so damn stubborn. I have you to thank for it." "This is true," the elder woman replied. "So, going to introduce me to your friends, or what?" Alex sighed again, then turned to her traveling companions and said, "Guys, this is Helen Masters, my mother. Mom, meet Carol, Bob, and Mimic. You probably remember Ben, Tsunade and her Pokémon from the Silver Conference." "I remember," Helen noted as she stepped towards the group. "And Alex and Cass have both told me about all of you." She took a seat and added, "Thanks for keeping an eye out on them." "Helen say 'good thing she came' after Alex mention she lack vital information," Mimic pointed out. "Does Helen have information?" Helen managed a small smile, then noted, "Yes, I do. And I probably should have told Alex about it before she left on her journey." "Told me what?" Alex asked, stepping forward. Helen took a deep breath, then answered, "I have a strong hunch about who may have sent those bounty hunters after you." She took a look around and asked, "Do they know?" "They know," Alex replied. "I told them after the first attack." Helen nodded, and continued, "His name is Jackson Canmore. He's most likely the one who sent those bounty hunters after Alex." "Why do you think this Canmore guy's to blame?" Rubix asked. "Because he's tried to get rid of Alex before," Helen replied. She then turned to her youngest child and said, "He's who you have to thank for being what you are today." Alex stared at her mother for a couple seconds before pointing at her chest and asking, "You mean he...?" "Yes, he's responsible for those," Helen replied. As Alex took a seat and waited to hear her mother's words, Helen continued, "Shortly after Alex was born, Canmore paid a few people to sneak into our home and kidnap Alex. We tracked him all the way to Kanto and Cerulean City before we found him." "Mimic not sure like where this going," Mimic interjected. "Somehow come across scientist named Bill with experimental, prototype telepods?" Helen nodded. "He forced Bill at gunpoint to use one of them to try and erase Alex from existence. So far as he knew, Bill had only built one." "And that matters how?" Nori asked. "Telepods create exact copy of original entity, destroy original," Mimic explained. "Not sure how that work to preserve original memories, but seem work. Vaguely remember cases from several years ago, but can't recall any specific details." "In any event, Alex went through those things and survived, while Canmore was captured by the authorities," Helen replied. "Sadly, he had enough cash and dumb luck to get out of trouble, so the law didn't touch him. Meanwhile, his actions left a lasting effect on Alex. Somehow the pods altered her genetic code." "And how does that matter?" Carol asked. "I was born with one-sixteenth Extaxian DNA," Alex replied. "Had this not happened, I'd be a little shorter and match Tsunade for bust size." "And those things somehow altered your DNA to complete Extaxian, giving you height and bigger breasts in the process," Rubix surmised. "That's damn unlikely." "There's just enough similarity between human and Extaxian DNA to allow for fertile offspring between the two species," Alex replied. "My family line is proof of that." Alex turned her attention to her mother and asked, "But how did he know about me?" "We aren't sure," Helen replied. "He may have hacked into your father's records, or your great aunt's. Either way, he knew. And you being a baby didn't stop him." Turning her attention to the others, she added, "And I doubt any of you will stop him from attacking again." "Not like it isn't already clear that his people will kill us as well as her," Nori noted. She glanced towards Alex and asked, "So, what now?" Alex considered for a minute; her mother didn't have a reason to lie to her, nor would she want or need to. She had ample evidence to support her mother's claims, and this fit in with everything she knew about herself and her pursuers. He'd sent bounty hunters after her, threatened her life as well as those of her team and her friends. He was a threat, pure and simple, and he needed to be stopped. She turned to her mother and asked, "Any idea where he's based?" "I've got a strong hunch," Helen replied as she pulled a sheet of paper from her pocket. "I found this tacked on outside. The Combusken guarding the center was within inches of burning it to cinders, but I convinced her that it was important." Helen gave the sheet to Alex, who quickly read it over before cursing under her breath. She rose to her feet and said, "Bob, we have a problem." 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