Subject: [PW] Fox Trouble Date: Wed, 07 Jul 1999 01:45:46 -0400 From: Akyinrew <efejpenn@mindspring.com> Fox Trouble Once I was finished at the department store I, once again, made my way to the Celadon Gym. This gym is the main reason I wanted to catch the vulpix. Another reason I went to Celadon first was I had heard of a new fragrance, 'Crystal Dreams' and I thought I should buy a vial to send to Anna. If any city would have it, Celadon would. I headed into a perfume shop and bought a vial, and continued to go toward the gym. As I walked I realized I didn't know if the fire pokémon would obey me in battle, and I didn't want to risk the humiliation of having a pokémon attack me during an official gym battle. So I detoured into the city park and took the pokéball from my belt. "Pixar! Go!" The red beam of energy shot from the ball, leaving the _still_ angry fox staring at me. I tried to stare it down, and when it appeared I was succeeding Pixar's eyes flashed red and it tried to body slam me, ungrateful that I just taught it the move. "Vul!" It was about to hit me, when Generator, always protective, quick attacked it. "Pix! Pix! Pix!" The disgruntled red pokémon rolled over a few times before it came to a stop. "Jol!" Generator growled at the prone vulpix that was now starting to get back on its paws. I felt the charge of static electricity in the air. "Down Generator! Easy boy." I futilely tried to calm the angry dog pokémon. My mind was suddenly bombarded with conflicting emotions, fear, anger that I knew weren't mine. I concentrated and willed my Jolteon to calm down, and slowly he submitted, and stopped growling. "Vulpix." Pixar was scratching at the ground, trying to appear innocent, though her eyes still glowed red. Slowly the foreign anger subsided, and as it did the fear grew stronger. It took me awhile to realize that fear was coming from Pixar. I tried calming her like I did Generator, but it didn't work. I walked towards the edgy fox, unsure of why it was so fearful. As I got closer the fear intensified. "I won't hurt you." I said in a soothing voice. "I just won't let you hurt me." Pixar looked at me for a second, and I saw the red fade from her eyes, but the fear was still there. "What are you afraid of?" I crooned, by now face to face with the pokémon. I tried petting its head, like I did my other pokémon, slowly, it worked, I felt the fear subside. "Pix, pix, vulpix." She kept crooning over and over. I had -_no_ idea what it meant, but I kept rubbing her head. After a while she was on my shoulder, and I had to reach up to pet her soft, little head. "I take it you don't like the pokéball." I said to her. "Vul! Vulpix!" She shook her head vigorously. "Get halfway in the backpack, then." I unzipped it and she made herself comfortable. "Jolt?" Generator now looked confused. "No, I haven't forgotten you." I assured him, petting his head. "Dog pokémon are harder to take care of then I thought." I mumbled to myself. I headed for the park entrance, to continue my journey to the gym. Eventually I got to the plant gym. I went in the front door and was immediately hit by the heavy scent of perfume. Once my eyes stopped watering I looked around and saw numerous female trainers hustling and bustling around the busy gym. After taking in the scenery I sauntered up to one of the girls, tapped her on the shoulder and asked. "Are you a trainer here?" "Yes, I am." She answered, turning to face me. "I take it you're a trainer too?" "Yup." I pointed to the two visible pokémon. " I wanted to battle some trainers here before facing Erika, and," I paused, as if thinking, "I wondered if _you_ would want to battle." "I don't see why not." She grabbed my hand and started walking towards a set of double doors. "The arena is over here. Follow me." "How many pokémon?" I asked, following her. "Three." She said matter-of-factly, going into the arena. She headed to the other side. "By the way, my name's Sara." She reached for her pokébelt, and grabbed a pokéball. "Okay, Sara, I'm Phannon." I took my place. "And I choose Pixar. Go! Pixar!" The agile vulpix climbed out of my backpack, and jumped down onto the arena floor. "VulPIX!" "Then I choose, Gloom!" She threw her pokéball and the little plant pokémon came out. "Gloom! Gloom!" "Let's go!" I said. "Pixar! Body Slam!" The fox ran up to the weird plant thingy and tossed it across the arena. "Gloom! Absorb!" Yelled Sara. "Gloom!" It jumped the entire distance and attempted to absorb energy from Pixar. "Pixar, ember attack!" "Vulpix!" the little blast of fire hit the plant mid absorb, causing it to fly off, slightly burnt. Here I allowed myself a smug grin. "Gloom! Sleep powder." I was caught off-guard, I had nothing to counter it with. The powder just launched in the air out of the top of the Gloom. "Umm, Pixar, roar!" I had nothing else to do. "VulPIX!" It roared, until the powder overcame her, and she fell asleep. "Damnit." I muttered. "Pixar return." I rummaged on my belt for the right ball. "Warbeak go!" "Spearow! Spear!" The bird flew out of the red energy. "Gloom! Return!" Sara called the plant back, she grabbed another ball. "Go! Victreebel!" "Spearow! Fly up high." I told the bird, and he complied. "Spear!" The bird quickly gained altitude, even indoors. "Victreebel, growth!" "Bel!" The pokémon complied, and grew bigger. "Oh well, bigger target." I shrugged, as Warbeak came crashing down from the sky into the enlarged Victreebel. "Spear!" The bird sailed through his target, and tried to climb back into the air. "Victreebel! Wrap attack!" "Victree! Bel!" Warbeak was caught right out of his ascent, and pulled towards the plant. "Victreebel! Vine whip!" It whipped Warbeak without even letting go of the bird." "Spear! Spear! Spear!" He shrieked as each hit connected. I winced in sympathy with my pummeled pokémon. "Warbeak return!" The red energy blast absorbed the pokémon from the Victreebel's grasp. I fumbled for Pixar's ball again, even though she was still sleep. "Pixar go!" I tossed her a full heal, and hoped for the best. "Vulpix?" She woke up, dazed. "Victreebel wrap!" "Bel!" Pixar noticed the vines coming and jumped out of the way. "Yes! Pixar, body slam!" "VulPIX!" She ran through the tangle of vines and slammed the Victreebel. "Victreebel! Vine whip!" The long vines searched out the vulpix and punished her with blow after blow. When the attack subsided Pixar's eyes flashed red, and I knew it was time. "Pixar! Rage attack on Victreebel!" "Vul! VUL! VulPIX!" The fox made her way through the tangle of vines to explode into a ball of fire against Victreebel. The plant was immediately singed, and some of its vines were openly burning. "Victree! Victreebel!" The plant screamed for mercy, but received none from the enraged firefox. "Victreebel! Return." Sara called it back, and felt for her third and final pokémon. Pixar, still engulfed in flames, paced impatiently. "Go Ivysaur!" The red flash of energy caught Pixar's attention, and she jumped at the unwary Ivysaur. "Ivysaur! Leech Seed!" The seed shot from the top of the plant pokémon, only to be incinerated in the inferno that just seconds ago was a vulpix. Then, the fox collided with Ivysaur, knocking it over. "Ivysaur! Razor Leaf!" The whirlwind of leaves all burned when they reached the firefox's corona. "Umm, Ivysaur, Mega Drain?" The four-legged plant tried to drain energy from the flaming vulpix that continued to assault it from all sides, only to be burned. "Ivysaur! Return!" Sara sighed. "I guess you win this one." The fox's fire subsided. "Ching!" I pumped my fist, and Pixar tried to imitate it. "Oh, I have some Full heal you can use on your pokémon's burns." "Thanks, but we have a private healer for gym trainers." She looked real sad. "Are you alright? I hope your Victreebel isn't too hurt." I offered, trying to ease the odd situation. "Nothing personal." I started petting Pixar's head, only to get nudged by my neglected jolteon. "Your vulpix is-" she trailed off. "I mean it looks like the one Rose-" "Pixar is what?" I asked, worried. "What did Rose?" "Nothing." She shook her head, turning to go to the gym healer. " You want to face Erika now?" "Yeah, could you get her?" "Sure. Wait here." She walked out, leaving me very confused. I looked at Pixar, worried. "What don't I know about you?" I said shaking my head. "Who is this Rose? What does she have to do with you?" -- I need a sig. "Remeber, money is _no_ object... Unless you're planning on spending it." -PHB from Dilbert AIM: Akynirew