From: Bandraptor <bandraptor@aol.com> Subject: Re: [PW!][NC] Future's End Date: Monday, May 31, 1999 6:28 AM > >"Well, who would have known? Simon turns out to be all powerful ruler >of the world." BH said as he looked at a statue, "and what the hell is >with that bag over his head?" Car'tos and Nori just shrugged. > >Meanwhile, the two creatures were over to the side, talking amoung >each other, "What if they are the ones foretold in the scrolls? They >might be the ones to destroy Lord Simon." the 1st one said. "Don't be >a fool! They said they came here by an accident!" the 2nd one scowled >at the other and they began argueing. > >"Well... now that we're in this freaky temple, what are we gonna do? >Can go out becasue of the storm..." BH said as he glared at Car'tos. >"Whaaat?" Car'tos asked sheepishly... > "Hey, let's go exploring!" Nori cried, already running off into the shrine. Exploring was her solution for everything, boredom in particular. Atop her head, Meowth purred softly. It didn't trust the creatures, and looking through their shrine would help it to find out more about them. As they walked through the halls, Nori was conscious of the creatures' stares. True, she and her friends had been invited into the shrine; but only two creatures had extended the offer, and the others didn't seem too appreciative. As she brushed by one, it lunged towards her, mouth open. For a split second, the cloak flew backwards, and Nori saw a flash of wrinkled skin and jagged teeth beneath it. The creature's jaws snapped shut, within inches of Meowth's head, spraying them both with hot saliva. "Hey! Waddaya think you're doing?!?" Nori clutched the cat protectively, her face still dripping with monster drool. The creature remained where it had landed, the edge of its snout almost touching her own nose. It opened its mouth to speak, and Nori was hit with the stench of decaying flesh, a sign of a creature who ate its victims raw. "Your culture may revolve around these worthless creatures," it hissed, "but ours does not." Nori shuddered, remembering the pokemon bones they'd seen on the way over. She quickly regained her composure, and stared the creature in the eye. "I don't care what you think of pokemon. This is my Meowth. Stay away from it. Or else." The creature threw its head back in laughter, sounding almost as if it was choking. It had been hoping for a challenge. "Or else what?" When it next gazed into Nori's eyes, they were glowing bright red. "Or else," she snarled, in a voice that wasn't quite her own, "your mortal heart will cease to beat." The creature's expression turned from amusement to hatred, as it grabbed the girl by her neck, and hoisted her into the air. "As will yours," it returned, "once I rip it from your chest!" The creature pulled back its free arm, and flexed its clawed fingers, preparing to strike. It felt a slight pain in the back of its head, then everything went black, and the next instant, it was on the floor. It blinked, confused; then scrambled to its feet, only to feel the pain returning. This time, it didn't faint. Instead, the pressure under its skull got progressively worse, until it felt that its head would explode. It tried to scream, but whatever was affecting its brain, was crushing its windpipe as well. The girl loomed over it, a satisfied smirk plastered on her face. The creature reached up, wanting nothing more than to claw her eyes out; and was slowly pushed to the ground, by invisible forces. As its face was pressed into the ground, it ventured a glance upward, at Nori's bristling Meowth. A voice rang in the creature's throbbing head, inhuman, and deadly quiet. *This human belongs to me. Touch it, and die.* With that, the forces acting on the creature's body dissipated, finally allowing it to collapse. The girl turned on her heels and continued through the shrine. The other creatures mumbled softly among themselves, as Nori and Meowth passed them by. They shuffled out of her way, creating a clear path to the back of the shrine. There, Nori saw a small trap door. The two creatures who had brought them to the shrine approached, cautiously. "There lie the catacombs," one whispered. "They lead to the human cities," the other chimed. "They are our passage, past the Eastern border." "We can take you there, if you wish." Nori, Car'tos, and BH looked at the trapdoor, then back at the assembled creatures. The creature that Nori had encountered had already picked itself up, and rejoined the others. The entire group was waiting for their decision. TBC... -Beth "Ii kanji!" http://members.aol.com/bandraptor