From: Chuck Einhorn <unicorns@mmtcnet.com> Subject: [PW!] Battle for the Badge, Part 1. Date: Sunday, August 29, 1999 3:32 PM > > "My shirt is about to start!" Dernam cried, looking at his watch, "I gotta > go." He then proceeded to run into the diner. Splash and Misty followed him at > a slower pace. Whoo, in the nick of time. Dernam quickly got into his uniform and started waiting tables. 6 went begging for scraps, and trying out his cute routine. Dernam also saw him swipe a wallet and stash it under a counter. He'd have to put it in the Lost and Found. 6 could be really annoying. Splash walked in with Misty a couple minutes later and quickly spotted him. Dernam took a little time to walk over to them. He extended his hand to Splash. "Sorry I couldn't do this back there, but I was in a bit of a hurry. Good job." "Gee, thanks. Not so bad yourself." "Thankee-sai." Misty spoke up. "Dernam, I've been thinking about the gym." "And?" "Well, if you really want a fight for a badge, I was already thinking about starting up more fights, maybe confuse some kids who thought the could get a free handout." Bingo. Maybe this would work out. But then, Misty new he had a Hitmonlee and Nidorino, and she could surely beat them in the Gym, considering that battles were fought over a large, deep pool. Neither could operate in those conditions. Magnemite? He didn't have fighting capabilities, only multi-purpose tools. 6? Yeah, right. 6 could steal things, but he couldn't fight to save his soul. So, Scyhter and Gyarados. And she knew "Brtz" owned those. But she still couldn't recognize him through his disguise. <Plink> Something in Dernam's head connected. One thing she did know was his eyes. Normally, he had very cold, clear, brown eyes. Now they were cheery and green, with gold flecks. Pretty, not his own. He had stared her right in the face last they met, and he knew she would not have forgotten them so quickly. Something told him they would be the key to all sorts of fun. He tried to make as direct of eye contact as he could, let her see them, really see them. Then he could do something later. Boy, he was almost laughing to himself thinking about what he'd do. But later, not now. "Gee, that'd be great. But I have work to do first. Maybe later. Don't think for a second I'll go easy on you. Ohh, and one more thing......." He reached into is pocket and pulled out her watch. "This yours?" Her eyes bulged. "How did?!" 6 jumped onto the table, then to Dernam's shoulder. "Eeee!" Dernam pointed to 6. "He did it." She was utterly baffled. She smiled, took her watch, and left. "Well, Splash, your welcome to stick around if you want. It may get hairy later." "Naw, man, I wanna see that fight." "Ya sure? It could get ugly." "What? She seemed to like you." "You'd be suprised......" With that, Dernam continued his rounds, and waited on a few more tables. He had a situation to get under control, plans to make. This was gonna be fun. TBC Ethan Einhorn