From: Bandraptor <bandraptor@aol.com> Subject: [PW!] Cerulean Blues Date: Saturday, September 11, 1999 7:59 AM A large Porygon flew across the sky, sideswiping the occasional Fearow, with little or no concern for its passengers. A girl sat on its back, clinging to its neck for dear life; and a trembling Arbok was wrapped tightly around her body, its head buried in its own coils. "Giseisha..." Nori sputtered, finding that it was hard to talk, while being strangled, "If you knew you were afraid of heights, why'd you insist on riding with me?" "Shaaa~*" came its muffled reply. "Nemesis, maybe you'd better land. It looks like we've cleared the mountains..." "[...]" Nemesis grumbled, dive-bombing towards the ground, at a speed that nearly made the Arbok lose its lunch. At least, it would have, had the Arbok--or any of them, for that matter--eaten lunch. Or breakfast. Or anything, for the past two days. Nemesis swooped up gently, and stopped short, a few inches from the ground. Nori hopped off, and Giseisha fell from her body, fainted. "Well, this sucks." Nori sighed, recalling both Pokémon. "I'm hungry. And I'm broke. I wonder if I'm on payroll yet..." She walked a few steps down a dirt road, before passing a small road marker. "Route 4 to Cerulean City", it read. "Oh, good." the girl brightened. "We *did* make it over the mountains. Probably'll be another hour before we hit city limits, though. I wonder if there's a mini mart anywhere nearby...Oh yeah, I don't have any money. Damnit." She reached into her backpack, and brought out a Pokéball. "Fortunately, I do have a portable flash-fryer. Magmar! I choose you!" "Maaag..." it groaned, and collapsed to the ground, holding its stomach. "What're you complaining for? It's not like you've been out walking for the past two days. Now get ready, we're gonna catch us some dinner." Nori pulled her Pokédex out of her pocket, and quickly typed in her coordinates. The computer buzzed for several seconds, then the light in the upper left-hand corner blinked green. "Route 4." it chirped, "The following Pokémon are found in this area: Ekans. Sandshrew. Mankey. Spearow. Rattata." Nori grimaced. "Yum. Well, so much for that idea...Magmar, return." The girl called the fire duck back into its Pokéball, and trudged on down the road. "Damn, it sucks to be me." she grumbled. "I wonder whatever happened to those so-called friends of mine, after they ditched me in Saffron. I bet they're eating a big, roast Farfetch'd right now. Or maybe some honey baked ham. Hmm... Mankey are half pig... I wonder..." "HEY! Watch where you're going!" "Huh..?" Before Nori was fully aware of what was happening, she was roughly elbowed out of the way by a shorts-wearing little boy. She stumbled twice, before regaining her balance; then angrily threw down her backpack, in a clear gesture of challenge. "You little brat!" she growled, very grouchy, due to lack of nourishment, "You're gonna pay for that!" "Oh yeah?" the boy gave her a subtle flick of his middle finger. "And just what are you gonna do?" "What am I going to do..?" Nori hadn't thought that far in advance. "Well, for starters, I'm going to steal your Pokémon. Hand them over, in the name of Team Rocket." "You're not a Rocket," the boy scoffed. "Sez you. Cough 'em up." "Where's your uniform?" "In my backpack. Do you have Pokéballs, or not?" "What about your motto?" "My WHAT?" "Your motto. Every Rocket's s'posed to have a motto." Nori cupped one hand to her forehead in frustration, and muttered a lengthy string of cuss words under her breath. The boy rolled his eyes. "Like I'm gonna give my Pokéballs to some Rocket, who doesn't even have a motto. You're pathetic." "Be they Fire, Bug, or Grass; give me the balls, or I'll kick your ass!" "Um..." "That's what I thought." Nori gave the boy a kick to the groin, and while he was staggering, snatched his pokébelt. "Heh, these things are far too easy to steal. Oh well. Be grateful I've left you with *some* balls. Toodles!" Nori slung the belt over her shoulder, and darted down the road. When she was a good distance away, she pulled out her Pokédex, and did a quick scan of the Pokéballs. "Cool, six Pokémon. At least one of these should be edible--what the..?" One by one, each of the Pokéballs vanished. The light on the Pokédex blinked once again, and the screen lit up, reading "transfer done". "Damn it! I'd forgotten, all my new Pokémon get transferred directly to headquarters. Geez, don't I even get to see what they are?" The Pokédex beeped twice, and the voice whirred into motion. "Six Pokémon transferred. Pidgey: Class D Pokémon. Worth: 200 Pokébucks." "200..? That...that's barely the cost of the Pokéball!" "Pidgey: Class D Pokémon. Worth: 200 Pokébucks. Pidgeotto: Class C Pokémon. Worth: 300 Pokébucks. Rattata: Class D Pokémon. Worth: 200 Pokébucks. Rattata: Class D Pokémon. Worth: 200 Pokébucks. Raticate: Class C Pokémon. Worth: 300 Pokébucks. 1400 Pokébucks have been transferred to your account." "1400 Pokébucks? What am I s'posed to buy with that, breadcrumbs?" Nori hung her head. "Now I know how those Rocket chicks stay so skinny..." With a heavy sigh, Nori pocketed the Pokédex, and continued into town. TBC... -Beth "Ii kanji!" http://members.aol.com/bandraptor