From: Yosh <yosh1121@aol.combustible> Subject: [PW!] And a Rocket Hunting We Shall Go! Date: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 3:27 AM "Shr-shr -shreeww.. shrew shrew shr-shrew shreeew..." Oz's Sandshrew was seated in a forlorn corner of the Celadon Pokecenter, idly humming along to the headphones in his ears. In his paws was relatively old manga of Dragonair Z, which he read in a slow and bored manner. It wasn't a particularly exciting existence, seeing as how he had read this same issue a million times over, and had even colored in most of the pages, all in psychedelic disco colors. Sandshrew yawned once, and continued to hum along with the audio cassette, but the music was cut off sharply as somebody abruptly pulled the headphones jack out of the tape player. "Sand!" Sandshrew jumped up, whirling around, ready for full-fledged attack! His claws were sharp from many a days of boredom, and sitting around the Pokecenter had put him in an edgy mood. Besides, *nobody* interrupted his Kitaro! All of the Sandshrew's pent up frustration, however, subsided into relief when he saw that it was Oz. "Hey!" Oz said, holding the headphones in one hand. He grinned his usual mischievous grin, looking exactly as ragged and filthy as he had been when Sandshrew has last seen him leave to return the rented tux from Tenchi and Natasha's wedding, with the one exception of that he was wearing one of those silly Dr. Seuss's, Cat in the Hat hats. "You still listening to those Japanese tapes of yours?" Sandshrew muttered something, as he leapt up and grabbed the headphones, quickly stuffing them into Oz's tattered backpack which had been a feet or two away from where Sandshrew had been sitting, looking for all the worlds like it'd feel and look better buried six feet under a landfill. "Sorry, got kinda lost." "Sand?" Sandshrew asked skeptically, back still turned as he packed up the manga and tape player into the backpack as well, zipping it shut. "Well, uhh... you know, Celadon's a big city." "Sand sand sandshrew shrew SANDSHREW SAND!" Sandshrew yelled. "Wow, was I really gone that long...?" "SHREW!" Sandshrew yelled finally, before calming down. "Sandshrew, shrew shrew sand?" "Oh, the hat? Well, I got a new hair cut!" Oz pulled off the hat, and placed it on top of Sandshrew's head. Being too large for his small size, the hat immediately sank down, and Sandshrew had to grab the front of the brim, pulling it up and nearly fell over as he noticed Oz's hair. You couldn't *not* notice his hair. It had been colored a bright, flamboyant red, and was formed into large, incredibly outlandish spikes in a very anime fashion. [1] "Sandshreeeeew!" "Oh come on, it's not THAT bad..." "Sandshrew! Sand sandshrew shrew, sand?" "Well, I thought it would be perfect for what we're gonna do now, right after we pick up Kitty-chan." Oz said, as he slung the backpack unto his shoulders, with the barrel of the Wiggly Launcher poking out of the zipper a few inches. "Shrew?" "Well, I was thinking..." Oz smiled sheepishly. "I know it sounds kinda stupid, but Charmy was stolen during all the excitement of Pokestock, right? Along with all my other Pokemon, except for you and Kitty-chan." "Sand." "And Team Rocket is world renowned for their acts of thievery and vandalism, right?" "Sand." "Well, since they most likely have Charmy, I was thinking, why not join them, and find him through the inside?" "Shrew?!" "Why not? Makes perfect sense, and besides, I'm probably Team Rocket's prime demographic. In a word, 'Powhitetrash' " "Sandshrew," Sandshrew sighed, deciding that there was probably not point in arguing against Oz. "Shrew shrew sandshrew..." Oz's face lit up as he heard Sandshrew agree, but crashed back down when Sandshrew mentioned Oz's mother. It had probably been enough a stress factor for her to learn that her son had ran away from home, but if she ever found out he was running with the Team Rocket mob... "I certainly hope she doesn't," Oz said gravely, thinking about how he had left her with only a small, farewell note behind. Even then, he wasn't quite sure why exactly he had done it. Just for freedom, he had assumed. But in an instant, he drove the memories out of his mind, forcing himself not to think about them, and looked around the bustling Pokecenter. Most of the people had stayed away from their corner, so chances are they weren't overheard. Which, considering they're conversation had turned to the matters of the widely known, corrupt Team Rocket. "Well, guess we should go get Kitty-chan, and then find some representative of Team Rocket." "Shreewww," Sandshrew said quietly, changing his mind already, but Oz was already walking swiftly over to the counter, and he hurried to catch up, taking off the Dr. Seuss hat and carrying it along. After picking up Kitty-chan, and a stern lecture from Nurse Joy about better handling responsibilities, Oz stepped out into the bright sunlight, frowning mostly because Kitty-chan, the Meowth having found a greatly comfortable nest in Oz's new, bizarre hair, and was now taking a cat nap in it. "But then," Oz commented to Sandshrew, who came up alongside him. "There's always the small factor that I have no idea whatsoever on how to find Team Rocket... it's mostly always been them finding me, when I least want them too." "Sandshrew?" Oz shrugged, being sure not to knock off Kitty-chan, and started to walk into the usual hubbub of Celadon's busy population. "I guess I'll find them someway or another...." Oz muttered, hopefully. TBC! [1] For those who have heard of Chrono Trigger, just imagine's Crono's hair, and Oz's new hairdo is basically an unimaginitive rip-off. ^^; ~~~ Wow, been a while, I haven't written for Oz in almost a month. I feel as if I've totally forgotten how to write.. ^_^;; I'll get better... hopefully... Yosh ---------- Note: Beware the rabid Yosh.