From: Spawn <nmvds@aol.computers> Subject: [PW!] Counter Earth: Death of a Man, Birth of a Clan Date: Monday, November 08, 1999 2:55 PM Standard Disclaimor: This story is a pseudo-NC. Meaning that absolutely nothing in this story will affect anyone except from Steve Fugues in typical continuity of PW!. This story has Steve traveling to an alternate dimension. As such, he will be affected. But no one else will because their existence in this dimension is completely independent of their existence in the rest of PW! ******************* Continued from: "[PW!] Counter Earth: The Awakening" > Al looked back at Steve. In his life, Al had been trained to be a soldier >of >was and he knew the look on Steve's face well. It was the look of people who >weren't prepared to die for their country and who didn't really understand >what they were fighting for. Most would call them cowards. But Al knew that they >were just kids--kids who were scared of the new responsibility they had to >undertake. It was only natural that they felt the way they did. Steve's >humor was the only way he knew of to handle such an ordeal. Al took a deep sigh >and moved on. ****************** Steve and Al rode together on Apocalypse until they reached their destination: A far away cemetery. It was dark, quiet. The smell of death hinted the air and only the light of the moon was showing. Al walked Steve over to a prominent grave. "Do you have any idea why I brought you here?" Al asked. "So we could act out our favorite scenes from 'Phantasm?'" Steve asked with the same sense of humor he had earlier. "How about 'Night of the Living Dead.' I'm sure we'll have a tough time assigning roles, but..." "I have brought you here as a warning," Al said in a very stoic voice. "This here below... is your grave. It is also your fate if you continue your path as a fighter in your usual manner." "And this is a pep talk?" Steve asked. "No," Al responded, "it is meant to show you what could happen if you don't learn from the mistakes of the last Steve Fugues who existed in this particular dimension." "You mean the Steve Fugues I'm *supposed* to be more like?" asked a confused Steven Fugues from the dimension which the other characters of PokeWars lived in. "No," Al answered. "No?" "You're supposed to be better," Al explained. "Oh," said Steve, "for a second there, I thought there would be a little pressure put on me. "The last Steven Fugues was one of the most intelligent fighters whom I had the pleasure of working with," said Al, "but he was also reckless, impulsive. He thought of the consequences before acting and took them into account with uncanny precision--the problem was that he often didn't care. Some would call his actions courageous, and others would disagree. In Greek culture, hubris proved to be the one great sin and the downfall of all men. Steve was not immune to this fault. And so, his fate was sealed." There was an ackward moment of silence as Steve tried to take in the sight before him. Al knew the look on his face as well. It was the same look on his own face when he found out he had come back from the dead. Not an easy situation for anyone, not even a hell spawn. And Steve was far from a creature of the night. Death was inevitable, of course. Whether we wanted to admit it or not. But it was something most people put at the back of their minds, not choosing to confront the reality of their own mortality. To Steve, it was a rude awakening to realize that "he" was laying 6 feet below the earth where he stood. "Death comes to us all," the inscription read, "It just came to me sooner." Steve grinned a little. It seemed exactly like what he might say upon his death bed. "Are you ready for what you must soon do?" Al asked. "I... suppose..." said Steve, not sure how else to react. "You should be aware of the history of a group as old as written language itself then," said Al as he reached into his pocket for something. "The Watcher's Clan. A group of observers who investigate things which approach the limits of the natural world and often times exceed them. We are the experts of the unknown. Often, that means getting involved when others will not." Al handed Steve a badge. It was average in size, as far as badges went. It had a bluish background with a roaring Charizard and the letters "W" and "C" embrossed on it. A picture of which could be found at http://members.aol.com/nmvds/watchersclan.jpg "Some people go from gym to gym earning badges," said Al, "this is the only badge you'll ever need." "Will the Pokemon League recognize it?" Steve wondered. "You don't need the Pokemon League. Especially not now." "Oh." "We are an group few people know of," said Al, "but this badge can command respect from certain individuals regardless." "Nifty" said Steve as he placed the badge on the inside of his coat. "Sounds like a regular chick magnet." Steve wasn't sure if he was ready to undertake whatever responsibility that was handled to him. Why had he been chosen to undertake such a task? Destiny? Devine intervention? Strange luck? Who knew. Little did he know that he would be tested sooner than he thought... ************* Who would have gotten which role if they *did* re-enact "Night of the Living Dead?" Will Steve be able to handle his new responsibility? Will the math on this test be weighed equally with the verbal? *Is* the badge a regular "chick magnet?" If so, where do *I* get one? I probably won't bother answering these questions and more in the next chapter of… Counter Earth! (Mock omnious music.) -Spawn To reply, remove "puters" from the e-mail address.