From: Continue <continue2@mindspring.com> Subject: Re: [PW!] Training for flames (was: Re: [PW!] One, tsuu, Owens?) Date: Sunday, November 14, 1999 6:05 PM otaku wrote: >>>Jon didn't have to take long to think about it. "There was one place >>> that some trainers went while I was growing up here. It's the >>>abandoned lab. Not many trainers go there, though. Every >>>pokemon in there will either burn or poison your pokemon, so >>>when you go there you need a lot of antidotes and burn heals. Most >>>people just avoid the hassle." >>> >>>Damian nods after listening to the advice of his friend, but doesn't >>>heed it too well. "I've got enough antidotes and burn heals, and I >>>haven't really had to use them yet." >>> >>>He looks at the rest of the group "Anybody else interested in >>>coming along?" >> >>Julia walked in as soon as Damian asked. "I'll go along might as well >>get some training in for my new bulbasaur", said Julia as she >>gathered the rest of her things. >> >>>Damian snaps his fingers as something finally occurs to him. He >>>consults with Jon again. "One other thing, where is the lab?" > >"If i may...i used to work in the lab." Purgatory spoke, walking up from >the shore, Gauntlet behind him. > > "So where have you been hiding?" Jon asked, seeing as how Purgatory >hadn't shown up at the party. > >"Around." He shrugged. "Now then, if you want to get to the lab, we >should follow down the path of tourist traps. At the far end you'll find >the lab." He called out his Rapidash, Hades. "If anyone wants a quick >ride, now’s the chance. It's a good half hour walk over, and this island >gets pretty hot after sunrise." Drake accompanied from the air while Purgatory, Julia, and Damian rode on Hades. Even on a Rapidash as large as Hades, the trip was a little crowded. The trip was relatively short due to the horse pokemon’s pace, however. Upon arriving at the lab, it was apparent from its appearance that it had indeed been abandoned for awhile. Most of the windows were broken and discolorations showed how the weather had taken its toll on the fairly sturdy-looking structure. To round out the damage, there were several large holes in various places. Despite the sunlight on the relatively new day, the structure appeared foreboding since nothing could actually be seen through those large holes. In contrast to this, not more than a few dozen feet away from the structure was a sharp drop of only a few feet. At the bottom of the drop was the wide blue sea. The ocean waves quietly lapped against this shoreline without a hint that it cared what was on the land. After getting off of the Rapidash, Damian took a moment to stretch and then used his pokedex to swap the pokemon in his pokeballs. After replacing his pokedex, the young trainer retrieved and tossed his first pokeball. Once the glow had subsided from the emerging pokemon, Damian looked at it. It was the Tentacool that he had caught on the shores of Fuchsia. It was looking at the new environment that it found itself in and stopped upon sighting the ocean. Damian followed its gaze and looked out at the ocean. Movement caught the young trainer’s eye after a minute. It was his Tentacool. It had used its tentacles to propel itself to the drop off and dove in only a second after Damian spotted it. He yelled "Wait!" and ran to the edge. He stopped just short of jumping in and caught sight of the Tentacool. It was diving deep and swimming away. The others came running up to the edge. "I’ve never seen that happen before." stated Purgatory with a bemused expression on his face. "I’m not sure my Staryu could catch it. That tentacool is moving pretty quick and Staryu is still pretty young." Julia added. Damian seemed stunned but still said "No, that’s okay. I guess it really didn’t want to be one of my pokemon. Maybe I didn’t give it enough attention." The others had been looking at the water, but now focused on him. "It’s not going to happen again. That Lapras that I just caught is getting a name now." He got his pokedex out again and opened it. "And the other pokemon that I haven’t been using much are going to get their chance to be active too." Sweatdrops formed on the others when Damian said this last sentence. The young trainer seemed to calm down once he opened his pokedex and looked at it for a moment. He pressed a few buttons and then retrieved another pokeball. Once again a water pokemon emerged. This one ignored the environment and chose to focus on Damian. He looked up at the Lapras’ face and told it "I’ve decided that your name is going to be Finley. I hope you like it." In response, the Lapras tilted its head , looked at him quizzically and asked "Ras?" Damian answered it "Your new name is Finley. It’s all I could come up with." The Lapras’ expression hadn’t changed so the young trainer pointed at it and stated "Finley." It’s expression became more natural and Damian dug out a pokechow bar from his backpack and offered it to the Lapras. "Do you want some food, Finley?" The water pokemon responded by lowering its head and gently taking the bar from the young trainer. While the newly-named Finley munched on the food it had been given, Damian fiddled with his pokedex again and withdrew several other pokeballs. Just as the young trainer was about to toss another pokeball Drake started motioning. The dragonite pointed at one of the pokeballs, then at Finley, then made motions with his arms as if he were swimming. Damian nodded "I didn’t think of that. Lapras can’t maneuver on land. This isn’t going to be good, but I guess I have to pull it back in until I’m going to go ahead and fight. I guess I’ll bring Finley for a swim in the ocean later to make up for it." With that Damian reluctantly recalled the Lapras. In its place he sent out a Gengar. It looked at him expectantly and he said "Just hold on a second Spook and I’ll explain to both you and Bruiser." With this he opened another pokeball and a Hitmonchan appeared. As both pokemon looked at the young trainer he told them "I know I haven’t given either of you that much attention, but I’m going to try to change that now. Is that ok with you?" The two pokemon looked at each with expressions on their faces that practically screamed their belief that their trainer had just flipped out or something similar. They shrugged and turned to Damian. Bruiser nodded for both pokemon. After this exchange Damian turned to the others and told them "I’m ready to head into the lab now. How about everybody else?" <TBC> Jeff Hauser* *Sig Sold Seperately