From: Continue <continue2@mindspring.com> Subject: Re: [PW!] Soul (Badge) Searchin' Date: Tuesday, June 29, 1999 9:00 PM Time Lady wrote: > The Weezing tries to hide itself with a Smokescreen, but is still hit > with Confusion. Koga commands it to try and tackle Shields. The > confused Weezing, lost in its smokescreen and confused by it's own > smokescreen, winds up hurting itself. > > It tries again, this time connecting with Shields, but still hurting itself > in the process. Shields returns with another Psywave, this time > knocking out the Weezing. > >Koga approaches Sarah Jane. "I can see why Sabrina has requested > that you return to study with her. You have done well." He pins the >Soulbadge on her overalls. > >"Who shall be next?" asks the gym leader. "That would be me." Damian waves as he steps forward. "And are you also a future student of Sabrina?" Koga administers potions to his downed pokemon as he asks this, however, his gaze never leaves Damian after the young trainer first speaks. "Well, yeah, but not for the same reason as Sarah Jane. It's nothing important." Damian becomes fidgety as he tries to deflect the question. Whether the gym leader picks up on something or is merely not interested in further explanation is a question that remains unanswered as he abruptly changes the subject. "I take it the Magnemite circling your head is your first choice for this challenge?" "No, it just does that." "What about the dragonite standing next to you?" Koga pointed and Damian looked over to see Drake standing by his side. The dragonite looked down and smiled, this was followed by him shaking his head. "No, he just does that." "Perhaps if I present my first pokemon, you will do the same? Go, Weezing!" There was a red flash of light and the bizarre, unevenly-joined pokemon appeared with a pained-sounding battle cry of its name. "Ok...Go, Foci!" From Damian's first pokeball appeared a Hypno. However, before it could utter a battle cry Damian told it "There will be no Poison Gas attacks here. Not after the last time." The psychic pokemon turned its head to regard its trainer, but the expression on its face was one of complete indifference. "Foci, Hypnosis!" "Weezing, Sludge attack!" Foci began to swing its pendulum, but the poison pokemon didn't even seem to notice this. Instead, the larger of the two heads spewed forth a viscous stream of black liquid. The yellow, humanoid pokemon winced as it was struck by the foul concoction. "Foci, Head Butt!" "Weezing, Tackle!" The psychic pokemon seemed to pay no attention to the command it was given and wiped some of the sludge off itself. The floating oddity known as Weezing took advantage of the opportunity and swooped in for a tackle. It was denied the easy hit when the Hypno stepped aside. Foci added injury to insult by head-butting the poison pokemon as it passed. Koga quickly commented "An impressive maneuver." "Foci, Head Butt again!" "Weezing, Smokescreen!" Black smoke poured from the many vents scattered over the poison pokemon's body. It quickly filled a sizable area around the fused pokemon's form, obscuring the gym leader at the same time. The Hypno marched determinedly into the dark cloud. Within a few seconds there was an audible thud. It was quickly followed by a pained cry from the Weezing. Damian gave a sigh of relief "Thank Goddish he didn't hit Koga!" Everybody else in the group gave a slight chuckle. "Foci, Head Butt one more time!" "Time to put an end to this. Weezing, Self Destruct!" "Oh, no. Duck!" Jon shouted and everybody dived for the floor. A moment later, the expected explosion shook everybody present. As the shockwave passed him, Damian thought he felt something hit the floor next to him. When everything was once again quiet, the members of the group surveyed the scene. The smokescreen had been cleared away by the blast, leaving a clear view of the area. Koga was already standing and appeared to be waiting calmly, completely unruffled by what had just happened. Damian looked over to see that he hadn't been imagining something landing next to him. Foci was there, looking much like Wile E. Coyote. The Hypno was obviously fainted and covered in a fine black soot-like substance. Damian aimed the pokeball he was holding and a red beam struck the fainted pokemon, causing it to disappear. The gym leader made a slight bow "My apologies if that seemed distasteful, but to not fight to the best of one's abilities is to dishonor oneself by dishonoring your opponent." Damian took a moment to respond "Thanks, I guess..." Koga announced "For my next pokemon I will choose Muk." The dark puddle-like pokemon appeared and reflexively intoned its name in a deep, watery voice. Damian retrieved another pokeball from his backpack and said "Go, Remy!" From the tiny pokeball emerged a massive Snorlax. After fully forming from the red glow, it released its preferred battle cry, a yawn. "Remy, Head Butt!" "Muk, Pound!" The combatants slowly closed on each other, one waddled while the other oozed. Once they finally closed the distance, the rotund pokemon was the first to strike. It tried to pick up its opponent in order to perform the head-butt, but was unable to do so since the slimy pokemon slipped through the Snorlax's stubby fingers. The puddle pokemon landed a blow directly into its opponent's body. It didn't seem to do much damage as the obese pokemon's body easily absorbed the blow. It absorbed the blow so well, in fact, that the Muk had to struggle a second to remove its from its opponent's body. "This is probably the most disgusting fight I've ever seen." Christy made a face as she said this. Jon put in "And it's going to be a long one if this keeps up." "Remy, Blizzard!" "Muk, Poison Gas!" Both pokemon began to inhale deeply. The first to exhale was Remy. The freezing rush of wind struck the gooey pokemon and caused it to struggle uncomfortably until ice crystals began to form around it. Within a few moments it was encased in ice and completely immobile. "Remy, Head Butt!" "Muk, return!" Before the rotund pokemon was able to head butt its helpless opponent, the Muk disappeared amid a scarlet glow. Koga put the pokeball that he held behind his back and produced another with his other hand. "For my final pokemon, I will use...Venomoth!" "Remy, Head Butt!" "Venomoth, Sleep Powder!" The bug pokemon sprinkled glittering blue powder on its massive opponent as that same opponent reached up to yank it out of the air. Just as the Snorlax caught hold of the Venomoth, it let go and slowly sank to the ground. Damian quickly used a pokeball to retrieve the Snorlax who had begun to loudly demonstrate its species' name. After a few seconds the young trainer produced another pokeball from his backpack. He regarded it and said "It's been awhile since you were given to me, so I guess I should give you a chance sometime. Go, Bruiser!" Out of the red glow from the pokeball issued yet another humanoid form with a battle cry of "Hitmonchan!" The fighting pokemon looked around for a moment and then turned to face Damian. It intoned "Monchan" as it bowed deeply towards him. The young trainer looked a little perplexed, but quickly bowed in return. It then turned to the gym leader and bowed. This bow was not as deep, however, and the pokemon's gaze didn't leave the gym leader as it bowed. Koga raised an eyebrow and then proceeded to respond in kind. Finally, Bruiser turned to the Venomoth and bowed. The bow was not as deep as the one presented to the gym leader and the fighting pokemon's gaze did not lower in this gesture either. The Venomoth did not respond, it merely fluttered in place awaiting a command. "Bruiser, Agility!" "Venomoth, Psybeam!" The exchange was quick. A beam shot forth from the bug pokemon's antennae. Bruiser easily avoided it and circled around behind the other pokemon. "Bruiser, Fire Punch!" "Venomoth, another Psybeam!" The Venomoth couldn't turn around in time. Flames surrounded one of the boxing gloves that constituted the Hitmonchan's hands. The fighting pokemon leapt up into the air, sending its fist ahead of itself and into the bug pokemon. The poisonous moth fell was knocked back and its psybeam missed completely. Its wings looked burned badly but it still managed to stay in the air. "Bruiser, Fire Punch again!" "Venomoth, one more Psybeam!" The humanoid pokemon once again connected with a flaming fist. This time, however, the bug pokemon was able to connect with its psybeam. The fighting pokemon reeled from the attack, but Venomoth was worse off. Unable to withstand the injury to its wings any longer, it fluttered to the floor. While it was not yet fainted, it was prone and helpless. Koga recalled his pokemon. "You have an unusual selection of pokemon. They are all resourceful fighters. You also show some promise, otherwise you would not have been able to earn this." As he finished speaking he presented a Soul Badge along with a small box to Damian. The young trainer took them and tried to find some space in his backpack to put his new acquisitions. "Who shall be the next challenger?" TBC... Jeff Hauser* *Sig Sold Seperately