Character Name: Nori Mizuke Author: Beth (Bandraptor@aol.com) Appearance: Nori is a 16-year-old girl. She is small and lightly built, standing 5' 02", and probably weighing less than 100 pounds. She has glaring green eyes, and impossibly spiny black hair, which makes her look like a disgruntled porcupine. (It used to make her look like a disgruntled echidna, but she clipped her dreads.) Wears calf-high, steel-toed, black boots, light gray pants, a black short-sleeved shirt, and a letterman-style jacket that bares the Viridian Gym crest. Carries a variety of essential gadgets, including her PokéGear, which she wears around her wrist (Gear & Watch standard), a Japanese D3 (V-mon version), a minidisk player; and a small, silver and blue computer that looks suspiciously like a Gameboy Advance. This device, called "Movédex," automatically records data on any Pokémon attack seen or experienced by Nori. She also carries the typical trainer's Pokébelt, a small coin purse, and a Dragon Fang, which she wears on a chain around her neck. Generally stays away from backpacks, and anything else that might weigh her down, should she need to make a hasty retreat. Background: After murdering Sarah Jane's Mr. Mime, Nori fled to Johto. There, she began taking on Gym Leaders, in hopes of gaining enough badges to earn her berserker Dodrio's respect. However, as time went on, she became disillusioned with Pokémon training, and released most of her monsters for various reasons. She returned to Kanto, where she worked under Giovanni at the Viridian Gym. Eventually, Giovanni was stripped of his position as Gym Leader, and freed from her responsibilities, she left to go exploring. Some months later, she heard rumors of Rocket activity in Mahogany Town, and journeyed there to investigate. She found that the group's numbers had dwindled, and the gang consisted almost entirely of a small group of recruits. This turned out to be beneficial for her, as she received a promotion based entirely on seniority. She befriended a high-ranking Executive named Grey, and impressed by her knowledge of Pokémon and their attacks, he recommended her for a project that involved cataloguing all Pokémon abilities. She was presented with Movédex, and sent on her way...which brings her to where she is now. Personality: Although she is fairly intelligent, she is lazy, and rarely bothers to think things through. She is also stubborn to the point of being unreasonable, and comes nowhere close to being emotionally balanced. Shifts from being gregarious and breezy to brooding and destructive at the drop of a hat. Irascible--and extremely dangerous when angered, because she has the ability to hold grudges almost indefinitely. Nori went to great lengths to make herself immune to psychic attacks, but as a result, she lost her own senses of empathy and intuition. Since she is completely indifferent to the feelings of others, she will commit all sorts of atrocities against them--however, as she has at least a skewed sense of morals, she rarely bothers people unless they've antagonized her. Whatever that means. Not entirely antisocial, but because she is unable to sense the intents of those who wish to harm her, she tends to be overly suspicious of everyone. Extremely arrogant, she has a deluded opinion of her own physical abilities, and insists on settling even the most minor conflicts through physical combat. This is generally a BAD thing, considering her Appearance, as described up above. Absolutely despises Psychics--both the human and Pokémon variety--and will go out of her way to make their lives miserable. Has a fear of Fighting-types bordering on neurosis. Objectives: Her general objective is to please Giovanni, and her immediate intent is to complete Movédex. Doesn't have any long-term personal goals, with the possible exceptions of survival, and ticking off a bunch of Psychics. Pokémon: Anubis (Houndour) A Houndour pup. Bred from an Arcanine, he has flared, Growlithe-like ears, a shaggy underbelly, and paws that are too big for his body. Wears his own Pokéball as a tag on his collar; when he's inside his ball, Nori wears the collar looped through her belt. Good-natured and trusting, Anubis is playful, and has no interest in fighting. (Leer, Ember, Bite) Set (Natu) All of Set's brothers grew up to be HolyBird Xatus, but Set rebelled, teaching himself Dark-type moves, and so on. While he does not actually belong to Nori, he's joined up with her group, partly out of boredom, and mostly to annoy his brothers. Follows all commands given by Nori, not so much out of respect, but because the prospect of causing trouble thrills him. Although he mocks the ideals of his ancestors, Set has decided that he, as a descendant of a holy race, is above all others. He makes a point of telepathically expressing this opinion as often as possible, usually to the chagrin of any Psychics nearby. Nori and Anubis are incapable of understanding Set's psychic ramblings, so they think he's just the cutest little thing since SD Tasuki. Set's plumage is very bright in color, almost pastel. It has an odd tendency to sparkle when ruffled, even though Set doesn't know Flash. (Peck, Thief, Teleport, Psychic) Cerberus (Dodrio) Ever enigmatic, Cerberus refuses to let Nori know its gender or level (the former doesn't interest her, and the latter is estimated to be around 95). The only remaining member of Nori's original team; she chose to keep it; mostly out of fear for what havoc the powerful bird might wreak, if released into the wild. A Dodrio of rather average height and weight, it's easily distinguishable by the scar that runs across its chest, stretching from wing to wing. The right head wears a golden headband of sorts, the middle head wears an illegal Sharp Beak attachment; which is a nasty, serrated piece of metal that hooks on over its nostrils, and under its upper bill. Has the capacity to plan, and favors guerilla tactics--however, in battle it unfailingly abandons all set moves and strategy, preferring to tear its opponents to shreds with its large, clawed feet, and razor-edged beaks. Because it is completely unreliable in battle, it is rarely permitted to fight, and because of that, it is almost consistently sullen and morose. Will perform any task requested of it, but does so with such a belligerent attitude, that it's usually better not to ask. (Fly, Drill Peck, Tri Attack, Substitute) Allies: Team Rocket Enemies: The Mount Moon Crew, most of the Kanto police force. Notes on Movédex: The Movédex is a highly sophisticated personal computer, with an OS based on that of the original Pokédex. It was designed by Team Rocket scientists (most likely the ones who seceded from Silph Co.), and tested fairly extensively under laboratory conditions. By experimenting with a Togepi's Metronome attack, scientists were able to unlock over one hundred different techniques, all of which are listed in the Movédex index. Unfortunately, these listings rarely consist of more than a name. To its credit, Movédex lists some extraordinarily obscure techniques, such as Sacred Fire and Megahorn. However, since nothing is known about these moves, the weight of their rarity is lost. On the top of the Movédex unit, there's a sensitive infrared scanner. This measures the frequency of the wavelengths emitted from various attacks; and the system then draws upon this data to determine Base Power, Type, and Accuracy. It can also estimate Power Points, by clocking the time elapsed between consecutive attacks--this estimate is based on the assumption that high PP attacks like Tackle will be used more frequently than low PP attacks like Hydro Pump. (The only surefire way to determine PP is to count down to Struggle.) It is up to the user to identify any special effects resultant from an attack. In addition to analyzing the techniques themselves, Movédex provides limited function as a Pokédex: Instead of describing the attributes of scanned Pokémon, Movédex lists the techniques that they currently know. One of the nice things about Movédex is that it retains information on the Pokémon it's scanned. The data from researched moves and scanned Pokémon can then be cross referenced, to produce lists of moves that certain Pokémon can learn, or lists of Pokémon that can learn specific moves. -Beth, of the ever changing sig. Member of the Butch and Cassidy Fanclub! Subber of Pokemon movies! Holder of 25 Zeni Points! 100 U. Shigeru points! And 20 Kanji Moder Points! (whatever those are) http://members.aol.com/bandraptor