From: <lordlocke@my-deja.com> Subject: [PW!] A Clash of Faith! Date: Friday, September 10, 1999 9:50 PM Gads, Monk-chan resting upon his head, waved goodbye to those who were still at the Award Ceremony at the Big P Ranch, telling them that if they needed help with a sticky situation, to contact him at any time through the Fighting Dojo. The Dojo trainer looked down at the prize he won, a moderately-sized 3rd place trophey, then smiled to himself. Picking it up, he somehow shoved the thing into the ever-deep pockets of his slacks, then pulled out a rather-detailed map of the area. Following the directions written on by Jon (who made a big deal about following them EXACTLY), he began on his way to Fuchsia City, and his first gym challenge. However, if it was to be that simple, it wouldn't have happened to Gads. As they continued, Monk-chan suddenly heard something. He lept off Gads's head and looked around for the source of the noise. Gads, not hearing anything, was confused at the actions of the Mankey. "What gives, Monk-chan? You see something I don't? What's up?" This time, the noise was louder. Much louder. It was the sounds of bushes rustling. Monk-chan spotted the shaking bush, and ran over to it. "Something in that bush? Well, flush it out! Let's see what we got..." The Mankey quickly began Fury-Swiping the bush. It was only a matter of moments before whatever had been hiding there rushed out, into plain sight in a small clearing just off the road. It was rather thin and frail-looking, having a body made of vines and "arms" made out of leaves, with a rather large, bulbous yellow head. Gads, baffeled by the odd-looking Pokemon, pulled out his Pokedex and aimed it at the strange creature. The Pokedex AI responded almost instantly. "Bellsprout, a grass Pokemon. It's head stores large amounts of pollen for use as weapony, while it's stringy body hide amazing durability and strength." "Bellsprout... Monk-chan, let's catch it! FURY SWIPES!" "MANKEY!" The Mankey ran over to the Bellsprout, doing it's trademark attack. It swiped several times, catching the Grass Pokemon off-guard. However, the grass Pokemon quickly regained it's composure and shook it's head, filling the air with pollen. Gads quickly backed out of range, but Monk-chan breathed in a lungfull, and began to nod off. Gads, confused, pointed the Pokedex at the Bellsprout once more. "Bellsprout's favorite attack is Sleep Powder. It will often use it before wrapping or lashing out at an attacking Pokemon." Sure enough, the Bellsprout quickly lashed out with a Vine Whip, sending the Mankey sailing a good distance and leaving a red welt across it's face, but waking it up. Gads knew that things could of gone much worse, and needed to finish this quickly. "Monk-chan! Sisemic TOSS!" "MANKEY!" The Mankey grabbed the Bellsprout and sent it soring straight up into the air. After a few moments, it lept up on an interscept course, grabbed it on the way down, and came down with itself on top. The Bellsprout was left dazed from the attack, and Gads was ready. "POKEBALL, GO!" Gads chucked the Pokeball at the grass Pokemon. It snapped open, trapping the woozy pokemon inside. Two shakes later, the light on the front of the ball went out. YES! Bellsprout was HIS! Gads walked over to the Pokeball, and picked it up. "Hmmm... I shall call you... Ringer! Welcome to the team, Ringer." Gads dropped the Pokeball into his pocket. Then he got a chance to look around. True to form, they were left WAY off the road after the battle was over. "Great... we're lost again. Go figure. Well, I think the road's that way. Let's go, Monk-chan." "Mankey! Ke!" "Yeah, you did great, Monk-chan." The Mankey lept back upon Gads's head, and the started to walk in the direction Gads mentioned. Two hours later... ------------------ "Trees, trees, MORE TREES! I'm really starting to hate forests." "Mankey." "I hear you... hey, wait! I see something!" Indeed he did. Next to them was a sign covered in vines, and while important, that wasn't what Gads was talking about. Just a little bit in front of him, stood a small, ancient brick building, decorated with stained-glass windows. Surrounding it was a decent-sized garden, surrounded a wall of various flowers, which was being tended to by three robed men. "Let's go get direction out of this place, Monk-chan." "Mankey? Man mankey!" "Huh? Of course it's all right! What, do you think they're dangerous criminals of something?" "Mankey..." "We'll be fine. If worse comes to worse, we're both martial artists, right? Would you rather be lost in these woods for another week?" "MANKEY!" "I knew you'd see it my way." Gads approached the three gardening figures. They were all of similar size and build, and were all wearing the same brown robes, tied with a green, vine-like cord. "Um, excuse me..." The three men turned around at the interruption. "Oh, hello child..." "... if you have come for wisdom and knowledge..." "... this is the place." "Huh? Knowledge? Wisdom? No, no..." Gads was baffeled. What was this place? The trio was unfazed by the questions. "Don't be afraid my child..." "...we know that you are here..." "... to bask in the glory and light of Him." Now Gads was really confused. "Huh? Him? What are you talking about?" All three of the monks big-sweated, then continued. "Why, don't tell me..." "... that you haven't heard..." "... of the great, all-powerful Goddish?" "Goddish? OH! You're members of that little cult that worships Oddishes. Well, if you don't mind..." All three monks had VERY angry looks on their faces at that remark. "CULT! My son, Goddish..." "... is supreme. There is man, there is Pokemon..." "... and then there's Goddish, who is supreme." Gads was now really confused. "Why is Goddish supreme?" The three monks rolled their eyes. A non-beliver. "Oddishes, who were made in His image..." "... know the mighty attack Asorb, which can heal oneself at the expence of their opponent..." "... and who else can use that attack, other than those made in His, who is Supreme, image..." Gads took a second to think it over, then remembered about his own Grass pokemon, Vinal. "Tangela's learn Asorb. Also, doesn't the rare Kabutops learn it too?" This time, only the first monk responded. "They don't count." "Why not?" The second monk answered this time. "They are not supreme." "And oddishes are?" The third monk, this time. "Yes, for they are made in His image." It was Gads's turn to roll his eyes. "Yeah, but..." This time, all three monks interupted him. "My son, what do you believe?" Gads smiled. He knew the Master speach on beliefs by heart. "Well, the fighting pokemon were created to embody the various parts of the human being, and in the process, various forms of their fighting style..." "... first was Mankey and Primeape, who embodied the primal anger and rage, relying on spirit and brute force to get by..." "... second was Polywrath, who embodied the intellectual side, with it's tricks and tatics that could overcome even the most-powerful foe..." "... third was MaChamp, who embodied the courage and pride, fighting with heart and strength..." "... and last was Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee, who embodies the spirit of man, searching for perfection within both themselves and those around them through development of body, mind, and soul." Gads finished his sermon on the beliefs of the Fighting Dojo. For a moment, the three monks were silent, then... "Poor soul, you've been fooled..." "... by the lies of Hellsprout..." "... and you must be purged of your sins." All three monks reached into their robes, and pulled out pokeballs. All three the acted as one. "GO ODDISH!" Three oddishes appeared, one in front of each monk. Gads big-sweated. "You wanna fight? Why didn't you just say so?" Gads reached into his pocket, and pulled out a pokeball. "I guess now is a good a chance as any to try out my new Pokemon. Let's see what you can do, Ringer! GO RINGER!" The Bellsprout appeared in front of Gads. However, the result of the summoning of the Pokemon did not have the results that Gads was hoping for. In fact, the reaction of the three monks, and their Oddishes, was quite the opposite. "YOU HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED BY THE FOUL EVILS OF HELLSPROUT..." "... AND YOU MUST BE PURGED OF YOUR CURRENT MORTAL FORM..." "... BEFORE YOU CAN BE REBORN AS A FOLLOWER OF GODDISH!!" Gads paled. "Purged of my mortal form? Reborn as a follower? I'M TOO YOUNG TO BE REBORN!" The three monks were not impressed. "Poison Powder, Oddish!" "Sleep Powder, Oddish!" "Stun Powder, Oddish!" The three Oddishes spat out a large amount of pollen in the direction of Gads, Monk-chan, and Ringer. Gads paled even further at the sight of an enormous cloud of pollen heading in his direction. "MONK-CHAN! RINGER! AVOID THAT POLLEN AT ALL COSTS!" Gads rolled backwards, out of range. The Mankey took to the trees, getting over it. The Bellsprout... ... just sat there, uneffected by the pollens. Instead, it spent the time Vine-Whiping the trio of Oddishes into the cloud of their own making. The three Oddishes all fell over, all being effected by the cloud of their own toxins. "Bellsprout! Sprout!" Ringer look pleased. It decided that the Oddishes and their trainers must not of known about the Bellsprout's super-high resistance to toxins... then it began to feel a little woozy. It passed out just as the cloud dispursed. Gads looked at the Grass Pokemon for a moment, then decided not to wonder WHY that happened, just being glad it did. The monks were not amused. "BROTHERS, COME OUT HERE!" "A FOLLOWER OF HELLSPROUT IS BEFORE US!" "WE MUST PURGE THIS WORLD OF HIM!" A large number of monks suddenly appeared at the doorway of the hidden Goddish temple. Gads just stared at the rather large group of zealots, then made a decision. "RINGER, RETURN! MONK-CHAN, RUN LIKE HELL!" The Mankey didn't need to be told twice. The pair high-tailed it out of there as fast as they could. "WE MUST NOT LET THEM GET AWAY!" "WE MUST NOT LET THEM SPREAD THEIR LIES!" "WE MUST NOT LET THEM CORRUPT OTHERS!" A large number of reclusive, insane followers of Goddish took off after them. One of them caught their robes on the sign as they ran past, and yanked it off, taking the vines with it. The sign at the border of the temple grounds was finally uncovered for anyone passing-by to get a good, long look: WARNING! Followers of Goddish Asylum of the Overly-Fanatical: Do Not Enter. TBC? From your friendly, neighborhood LORDLOCKE Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don't.