From: <lordlocke@my-deja.com> Subject: [PW!] Christmas Eve Plottings Date: Friday, December 24, 1999 8:32 PM Gads set down the Pokeball of his problem Pokemon on the table, staring at it, trying to figure out how to fix his problems. 'No matter how hard I try, Dow just doesn't seem to get it that I need him to fight, not goof off. He'll fight for a while, but once he locks Hypnosis into place, his foucs waves, and he turns a Pokemon Match into a Comedy Act. Maybe there's something I'm missing... maybe it's because I'm not his real trainer, no matter what either of us want to believe.' Gads sighed at that. Last time, he had been sweating buckets when he confronted Sabrina. He was almost as close to Dow as he was to Monk-chan, and he didn't want to give him back. He had gotten lucky. Either Sabrina either didn't know he had it, or more likely didn't care, and Gads had left relieved. However, he simply couldn't train like Sabrina could. Hell, she often issued commands using telapathy... suddenly, a gear turned in Gads's head. 'Of course! Telapathy! I need too...' Gads slumped over. 'But I don't know how to use Telapathy. Blast it! All I can do on my own is Telekinesis... and even that's weaker now that that nanite shard's outta my back.' *RING RING* Gads looked over at the vidphone, then got up and picked it up. "Hello?" Suddenly, a familar face filled the screen. "Heya... Gads?" Samantha looked a little surpised at seeing Gads on the vidphone, but quickly put up a broad smirk. "Hey, saw your last match on TV. Good job on your win!" "Er... thanks." "You know, some members here at the Gym think you might go all the way. No matter how much they don't want to admit it." For some odd reason, that cheered up Gads. "Thanks!" "However, to keep the faith, try to avoid losing to Magikarps..." "Thanks..." This time, it didn't sound cheery, or greatful. "Is Mara there?" "Eh... I'm not sure..." Suddenly, Mara walked in through the door, a couple of bags in one hand. "I'm back!" Gads turned back to the Vidphone. "She just walked in." "Great! Put her on!" Gads covered the phone. "Mara, Sam's on the phone. She wants to talk to ya!" Mara walked over. Instead of her normal gi, she was dressed in a red sweater and blue jeans. "I'll take it. Now, why don'tcha go out and heal up your Pokemon. The center's pretty empty because most of the trainers are still in matches." "It is?" "It was when I walked by..." "I'd better get going then!" Gads ran out, snagging Dow's Pokeball on the way. However, he forgot to wake Monk-chan, who was busy sleeping on Gads's bunk. Samantha looked as best she could through the vidphone. "Is he gone?" Mara watched as the door slammed shut. "Yep. Now, do ya got the plan?" "Yeah. I already rented my Pidgeot. I'll be there tomorrow night." "Great. Gads's has been so worked up during the Games, especially with the problems he's been having with Dow. He could use some relaxation." "Heh, you know, this sounds like something that your parents would do." Samantha started giggling, a rare event. Mara glared at Sam. "That's not nice. Besides, if it were my parents..." Mara whispered something into the phone, which made Samantha's face turn beat red. "STOP! You're embarrasing me!" Mara smirked. "First mirth, then embarrasment. I'd better tell Sabrina that you've been lax on your emotional training." Samantha frowned. "I HATE emotional training. She says I can't keep my anger in check..." Mara took the most monotone voice she could. "... and from anger leads all other emotions. Am I close?" Samantha's expression didn't change. "You're right on the dot. However, could you please stop mocking my mentor?" "Ok, ok... so, I'll see ya tomorrow..." "Yep." Mara then gave a very lecherous grin. "And if all goes well, I won't see ya again until the next day." Samantha started turning red again, but knew the counter to that line. "You sound like your mom." Mara's face hit shock for a moment. "Do not!" "Do too!" "Do NOT!" "Do TOO!" "NOT!" "TOO!" "NOT NOT NOT!" "TOO TOO TOO!" "NOT!" "You know what we sound like?" Mara paused from her next wave of NOTs. "What?" "A pair of average, typical, teenage girls." Mara laughed at that. "Yeah, you're right. It's kinda nice to be able to talk with someone of my own age and gender." Samantha smiled at that. "Oh?" "Well, Andrew's been awfully quiet recently for some reason or another, and Mr. "The most electrifying trainer in the Pokemon League's" been too busy trying to train his Pokemon to perfection to pause for a moment and say hi." "I can probably guess why." "Oh, and why is that?" "He probably thinks he can train out all the flaws in himself by doing the same with his Pokemon. I mean, you didn't see him when the attack at the wedding began. I though he might commit suiside by pulling a head-on attack on Team Rocket AND those resistance groups, with every intention of it being his last!" Mara paused for a moment. "You're right. I didn't know. He's seemed so cheerful, so focused on his training..." "Don't worry about it. If this goes right, he'll be cheerful for real!" Mara smiled. "I hope so. And don't forget to pick up my MaChop on your way here! Bye!" "Bye!" As Samantha hung up, her image dissapeared from the screen. At that moment, a trampled, beat-up looking Gads walked into the cabin. "Empty, eh? The place was PACKED! I was lucky to get my Pokemon out in one piece! Not to mention HEALED!" A huge sweatdrop slid down Mara's head. "Uh... sorry?" "*Sigh* It's ok. Lemmie just grab Monk-chan and then I'm gonna work on Dow for a bit." "Monk... chan was still here?" Mara looked up on Gads's bunk. Smiling down at her was the Mankey, with an EVIL grin. "Yeah. He was sleeping. Now, I'll..." Mara cut Gads off. "Uh, I wanna give him something first!" "Eh? All right." Gads stood there, waiting. "Um... you can go outside and start. It'll take a couple moments..." "Oh... well, don't take too long." Gads went back outside. Mara turned to Monk-chan. "Don't tell Gads ANYTHING!" Monk-chan shook his finger. "Man man key." "What do you mean 'there's no secrets between us?'" "Man man." "Eh... I'll give you a new punching bag." "Man..." "Well, what do you want?" "Man key key." "SERVENT FOR A DAY?!? No way!" "Man man..." "OK, OK! I'll do it!" "Mankey man." "Good. At least it's not tomorrow. I'd hate it if I had to be a slave on Christmas. The day after will do just fine..." As Monk-chan went outside, Mara felt more than a little silly for being out-haggled by a Mankey. TBC? From your friendly, neighborhood LORDLOCKE Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.