From: Bandraptor <bandraptor@aol.com> Subject: Re: [PW!][NC] Future's End Date: Friday, June 11, 1999 6:37 PM >"Claymore Mines... AR Rocket Lunchers... AATR Assault Rifles... You >guys have some nice weapons here..." >"Oh, what was your name again..." Ask James. >"Black Hole..." >"Right, well your going to lead group 2, Nori will lead Group 1, and >Car'tos will lead both groups." "WHAT?!?" Nori cried, bounding back, "What makes you think *I* can lead a group? I don't know anything about assault rifles, or rocket launchers, or strategy; and my pokémon are half dead from all that fighting we did before we came here!" James frowned. "I don't think you understand...this isn't a pokémon battle, it's a military strike. We want to get in and out of there, as quickly as possible, and loose pokémon will only slow us down." He considered this for a moment. "On the other hand, a couple of Hyper Beams would provide excellent cover fire. Can any of your pokémon learn TM15?" "Wow! you have a Hyper Beam TM?" Nori exclaimed, "I hear those things are really hard to come by!" "Not for me," the man laughed, "I know the guy who makes them." Nori rummaged through her backpack for a moment, before pulling out her Porygon's pokéball. "Here," she said, handing the glassy duck to James, "this one's been acting depressed lately. Maybe learning a new move will cheer it up." "[...]," Porygon sighed. James took one look at the creature's sad eyes, and decided to teach it a second move, for good measure. Meanwhile, BH was playing with a flamethrower... * * * Car'tos grabbed Nori by the arm, and led her away from the group. "What now?" she asked, quizzically. Car'tos pulled out a pistol, and closed her fingers around its handle. "If you're going to help us, you should at least learn to shoot straight. See if you can hit the target at the end of the alley." Nori shrugged, and fired off three bullets. Two creatures fell to the ground, from the top of a building. "Eep! Sorry!" she called. "Sorry?!?" the first creature screamed, "You nearly shot me!" "Yes! What were you aiming for?" the second creature piped up. "Um... that target over there..." Nori said, pointing to a ringed tarp, a good thirty feet below where the creatures had been perched. "Well, what were you doing up there, to begin with?" Car'tos asked, quickly checking his back, to make sure that none of the other Rockets were watching. "Were you spying on us?" "'Spying' has such a horrid connotation," the second creature sniffed. "We merely wanted to gain information, as to your whereabouts." "It was quite thoughtless of you to leave us," the first one added. "Imagine how foolish we must have looked, calling to you over our shoulders, when no one was there!" "I want answers, now!" Car'tos growled. "Just what are you planning? Are you going to attack us?" "Feh, Don't be petty." the first one laughed. "We wish to see the fall of Lord Simon's empire, just as you do." "And we know that the Rockets are the only ones vicious enough to do the job." the second one added, "So, no, we have no intention of harming you." The two creatures exchanged worried glances, as Car'tos grabbed Nori, and walked away. "That one is trouble." The second creature hissed, "He is on to our plan." "It matters not," the first one replied, never taking its eyes from Car'tos' retreating form. "He *will* go through with his attack. He will destroy Lord Simon. And in the chaos that follows... the world will be ours." TBC... -Beth "Ii kanji!" http://members.aol.com/bandraptor