From: Magic T. Dragon <cvilagi@earthlink.net> Subject: [PW!] Magikr**! Date: Wednesday, April 28, 1999 8:39 PM [last time: Natasha won the Boulder Badge after finding a little "secret" about Bide.] Natasha danced out of the Pewter gym, with a sing-song chant of "I got a Boulder Badge, yes I did! I got a Boulder Badge..." After a quick visit to the Pokécenter, she headed for the Pokémart. As she entered, a man bumped into her. "Hey, aren't you that kid that didn't want the king of carp, Magikarp? How'd things go at the gym?" Natasha held out her new badge as an answer. 'Magikarp man' nearly did a double-take. "Hmmm...very good. But, the next gym is harder...water! Water will bring down your Charmander and Cubone! Weedle won't do very well, either...with Magikarp, though, you'll have a fighting chance!" "Look, mister, I'm really not interested..." "He's only $500!" "I payed that much for Cubone..." "All right, $400!" "NO." "$300! No, I mean, I distinctly said $200!" "Arg...if I buy him, will you just leave me alone?!" "Okay, but remember, I'm losing on the deal!" Natasha grudgingly pulled $200 from her wallet and handed it to the salesman. He smiled and gave her a spray-painted gold Pokéball. Before Natasha could ask what was with the paint, he had run off. "Oh, whatever..." After attaching the ball to her belt, she entered the shop and got a replacement Potion, plus another Pokéball. She paused as the total came to $500...what she had paid for Cubone. Why was this number coming up everywhere? And why had she gotten two very simple, cheap items for the cost of her sweet little Pokémon? --Natasha V. "Char, char manderchar!" "Bone bone Cubone!" "Eedle? Wee Weedle?" "Karp karp Magikarp karp karp Magikarp karp karp Magikarp karp karp Magikarp..." [various pathetic splashing sounds]