From: Roberto Perez-Vila <RobfromVoid@prodigy.net> Subject: [PW!] Stop And Smell The Rosetta! Date: Wednesday, October 13, 1999 8:28 PM A single Pidgeot with two human riders, one male and one female, lands at the Pidgeot Express in Viridian City. The couple dismounts and heads inside, hoping to not get asked any questions about their journey. There's no such luck. A big burly guy steps up to Robert and grabs his shirt collar. The bald man is wearing a solid black T-shirt with the words 'SECURITY' on it in large white letters. The man grunts as he talks, "We were expectin' two Pidgeot comin' from Fuschia, an' I only see one. I don't suppose you captured one of 'em and hid 'em on the way here, right? RIGHT?!" Robert sweatdrops, and doesn't struggle to break free, "No, sir. One of them fainted when another bird attacked it! I don't know where it fell, but I'm sure it'll turn up. It's not every day a Pidgeot falls into your backyard..." "You expect me to believe *that* lame story?!" The security guard shakes Robert around, "Pidgeot Express Pidgeot are trained to Level 100! No freakin' wild Fearow flyin' around up there downed one'a our Pidgeot, you damn liar!" Robert smiles nervously, and stutters out, "Now... there's no need for profanity, Mr. Security guard. I think that... that the Pidgeot fainted since the bird attacking it was using Electric attacks, and Flying Pokemon are weak against..." "ELECTRIC?!" The guard shoves Robert away, into Rilli's arms, "That could only mean one thing... Zapdos. Look, kid, we're goin' to check up on that bastard bird's location, and if we find out you were lyin', we're findin' you wherever the hell you are and sendin' you straight to the slammer!" The security lumbers away, leaving Robert trembling in fear... Mithril-rama runs her hands through Robert's messy black hair, "Don't worry. They'll see that the Zapdos did it." "I know, but did he have to say so many bad words?" Robert frowns, rubbing his ears as if they have been hurt by the swearing, "Let's just find a map to Rosetta Town. We should get there by..." Robert glances at his watch, "2 PM." After finding a young lady at the Pidgeot Express office kind enough to give the young couple a map and directions on how to arrive at the usually untraveled to Town of Rosetta, Robert and Mithril-rama head out into Viridian City. Since their business is elsewhere, Mithril-rama ignores her surroundings, and instead fiddles with her Pokepedia as she walks. Robert's reason for ignoring his surroundings goes far beyond the fact that the ultimate destination is Rosetta Town. Many locations in the city bring back horrendous memories of the day he spent there without Mithril-rama. He even passes the building that has ostentatious Corinthian columns without even glancing towards it - the Viridian City Gym. But the attempt to forget only forces him to remember what happened there. He remembers that he never told Rilli what he tried to do that one night in the river east of the city. He shakes his head. The flashbacks late at night will cease someday. The silence continues even after Robert and Rilli have left Viridian City far behind. They walk through grass fields, scaring Pidgey and Spearow away. Robert is startled occasionally by a wild Rattata, but since they are frightened by the tall human being, none of the Pokemon approach the human for the same reason the human doesn't approach them. The scenery on the way to the Town with the famous University also includes forested areas and tranquil ponds. Without warning, Mithril-rama's hand is grabbed by Robert's, and the girl is willingly led up to one of the natural ponds. A fallen log next to the water had beckoned Robert to sit on it with his girlfriend, to enjoy a quiet moment together. Mithril-rama sits on the log, but still stares at the Pokepedia she holds in her free hand, oblivious to what is around her. Robert releases her hand and nuzzles up against her shoulder, "You've been quiet, Rilli..." Mithril-rama nods, and continues to type things into her Pokepedia, "I've got serious work to do, Robert. You don't just see a Legendary Bird and shrug it off. RK wanted me to continue adding to the Pokepedia, and that's what I'm doing. I can only pause to chat for a little while, since I have to get all this work done before I forget what happened." "There's always time time to stop and smell the roses!" Robert plucks a nearby white rose, smells it, and stares at his reflection in the pond, "Just look around you, Rilli! This place is so serene, and all you can do is worry about research?" Mithril-rama glances up from the Pokepedia, "Pond. Nice." She then looks back down and goes back to work. "That's all you have to say?" Robert sighs, working on attaching the white rose on Rilli's hair, "Usually when we're near a pond by ourselves like this you kick off your shoes and dip your feet into the water... like when we were taking the long route to Fuschia City... and when we were having that relaxing afternoon in Vermilion City. Those are some of my fondest memories with you..." Robert admires the white rose he managed to pin on Rilli's hair while he was talking. Mithril-rama looks up from her Pokepedia, and faces Robert, "I'm sorry... I'll turn the Pokepedia off for a while. I'm sure there will be plenty of time to do Pokemon Research when we get to Rosetta Town." Mithril-rama shuts off the device, and hides it in her purse. She swiftly manages to remove her small sneakers without undoing the laces, pulls off her socks, and sinks her bare feet into the cool water, "Brrr... This water reminds me of the Frosty Breeze in the Seafoam Caves!" Robert follows suit, and affirms Rilli's observation once he places his own feet in the water, "It *is* pretty cold... but it still feels nice after all that walking." Robert leans against his girlfriend, and closes his eyes. This moment of peace doesn't last long, since he feels a pain on his little toe, "OUCH!" Robert swings one foot out of the water, an attached Poliwag along with it. Robert shakes his foot, "First the Krabby, now this?! Why do Pokemon seem to think that I'm a Slowpoke?!" Mithril-rama can't seem to chuckle when her boyfriend is being bitten, even by such a small Pokemon, "Need help getting that Poliwag off?" This question is soon answered when Rilli gets smacked by the Poliwag on her forehead! Since the incoming velocity is high, Rilli is knocked backwards, and her legs shoot up out of the water, twitching. "Guess... not." "Poliwag, eh?" Robert offers his arm to Rilli, and she sits up. The poor girl has a Poliwag swirl temporarily imprinted on her forehead. Robert isn't sure what to say, "Uhhh... hey, that looks like an unused Pokemon. Why don't you catch it?" Mithril-rama rubs her forehead as she explains, "I caught one once, but I gave it away to someone who wanted it more. They aren't very powerful, and I'm happy with just Horsea as my only Water Pokemon." "Don't you mean Horsea *and* Omanyte?" Robert asks, recalling Rilli's unused unused Pokemon. Mithril-rama nods, sweatdropping, "Oh yeah. Him too." She feels Bubbles popping at the back of her neck. She turns around to meet face to face with an angry Poliwag. She whips out her Pokepedia and points it at the Pokemon. The Pokepedia explains, "Poliwag, the Tadpole Pokemon. The average height of this Water Pokemon is 2 feet tall. Its newly grown legs prevent it from running. It appears to prefer swimming than trying to stand. Initially, it can only use Bubble, Hypnosis, and Water Gun attacks, but when it evolves into Poliwrath, it grows arms and learns the Doubleslap attack. This Pokemon is almost exclusively found in ponds of shallow water in or around Pallet Town and Viridian City." Robert stares at the tiny Pokemon standing near Rilli's feet, "That Pokepedia makes anything sound awesome! Let's see what the Pokedex has to say." Robert grabs his Pokedex and points it at the Poliwag, "Poliwag, a Water Pokemon. Information on this Pokemon is still unavailable since so few people catch it that it can't be studied." Robert chuckles, "Fifty billion Pokemon trainers can't be wrong! I won't catch it, but I *will* teach it a lesson! No one bites me and gets away with it!" Robert lowers his voice to a whisper, "...as long as the biter is a tiny defenseless Pokemon." "Vileplume, go!" Once Robert has thrown the Pokeball, a large blue flower with heavy red petals appears. The Vileplume looks around, and her tiny eyes go wide with joy when she sees that she's been released into a plant's paradise! She waddles up to the nearby pond, and dips her own feet in, to absorb much needed water. "Vileplume Plume..." The Poliwag stares at Vileplume for a moment, before realizing that she's not a threat, and leaps up to Rilli's face! The Water Pokemon bites onto and stays hanging from Rilli's nose! Rilli growls, "That's it. Electabuzz, go!" A strong golden Pokeball with an emerald for a button flies out of Rilli's purse and snaps open, releasing a fierce yellow Pokemon, "Brublearblubreahbleah!!!" Mithril-rama's Electabuzz stands with his arms flailing about his above his head. Robert backs away from the Electric Pokemon, knowing that Rilli's Electabuzz isn't too fond of him. Not only had Robert taken away Electabuzz's place at Rilli's side, the only Pokeball that was ever able to contain him was the one Robert gave to Rilli as a gift for assisting him in his first successful Gym match against Daisy in Cerulean City. Robert's golden Pokeball had cost Electabuzz his freedom, and the seemingly dumb brute is vaguely aware of this fact. Mithril-rama pulls the Poliwag off of her face and throws it up to Electabuzz's eye level, as if she's pitching it to him, "Thunder Punch!" The wily Electabuzz winds up one fist and slams it against the Poliwag, immediately knocking it out. The Thunder Punch sends the Poliwag flying off into the afternoon sky! When it reaches high enough, it disappears. Ping! Mithril-rama rubs her aching nose, and looks up at the sky, "...and that's why you never ever bite me!" Robert pauses to think for a moment, "Wait a minute, wasn't I the one who was getting my revenge?" "Does it really matter?" Rilli goes up to Robert, stands on tip-toes, and gives him a kiss on the cheek, "Thanks for trying. We shouldn't be far from Rosetta Town after all that walking we did up to now. Let's keep going." Once their shoes are back on, Robert and Rilli leave the pond area. Mithril-rama is being followed by her Electabuzz, who is being rewarded for his feat with some time outside of the Pokeball. Robert has his Vileplume following him, since he figures that if she needed water, she must need some sunlight as well. The formation of two people and two Pokemon soon arrive at Rosetta Town, which is teaming with young adults attending the University of Rosetta. A tall old bald man with brown eyes dressed in nice clothing stands out in the crowd. His eyes narrow, then open wide, when he sees the couple enter the Town. He approaches them, "You must be Robert... and you must be Rilli." Robert and Rilli nod simultaneously. Robert adds, "How do you know? Who are you?" "I am Dr. Xavier Eckert, the Dean of the University of Rosetta. Sarah Jane, my granddaughter, told me that you'd be coming. I didn't expect to see you so soon, but I'm glad you're both here." The intelligent old man smiles, "I was just looking for my wife, Lillian, but I can postpone that until later. Would you like me to show you around the facilities?" Robert looks at Rilli, then at Vileplume and Electabuzz, then back at Dr. Xavier Eckert, "Sure. We'd be honored!" -Robert