Blizzard opened her eyes slowly. She was in
a Pokemon Center, that much
she was sure of. But how she got there was a blur...
"Bruised ribs... live, but sore for... will grow
back, but she...
little too rough?"
"Blizzard?"
White Blade and Samuraichu were standing next to the bed.
"Purrrrr?"
<Wha...>
White Blade spoke up. "We brought you here after the
fight. We thought
you might be dead, but it is Bruno's Onix. They're tough,
but they know
their job. Rest up, you've got a couple bruised ribs and a
tuft of fur
missing from your tail. It'll grow back in a week or
so."
"Purrsian... purr..." <How did you
talk.... Ouch...>
"I think your main worry now is a bruised ego. I had
no idea Brock
would have had one of the Elite Four's pokemon."
"Persian persian?" <So I guess that
Jigglypuff's out of the question
now, eh?>
"Heh, didn't say that. I'll still help you find
one. I'm going to be
heading that way. Now, about the training..."
"Persian!" <I didn't agree to that!>
"No, but the offer's still there. Since I don't have
trainer status
now, you'll still be a wild pokemon, but you'll have a definite
advantage over others. I'll let you rest and you can think
on it. I'd
be happy to help you, but I can only help if you want
it." With that,
White Blade stood up and walked out.
-----
"Draaaa?" <How's the shoulder?>
White Blade climbed on top of Draconi and laid down.
"Worse for wear,
but fine. Heh, I never knew what it was like to actually
fight another
pokemon. Now, I'm beginning to see what you guys went
through."
<We enjoy it ourselves.>
"Man, I knew Brock had an Areodactyl, but last I saw it, it
was still
young."
<Had fun?>
"Huh?"
<Did you have fun?>
"Actually, I did. Scared the hell out of me when he
was coming at me
with those teeth though."
<Scared me too.>
<Thanks for rescuing me.>
<I like it better when you talk in Human.>
<Sorry, I gotta practice though.>
<So what's next?>
<Mount Moon. I have to find a Cheese Stone.>
<Cheese Stone?>
<Oops. I meant Moon Stone. See what I mean about
practice?>
<You need more than language practice. You need fighting
experience.>
<Yeah, that to. And I intend to get it.>
<So, mas.. er, White Blade, when do we leave?>
<When Blizzard's recovered. Meanwhile, how about
something to eat?>
<Sounds good!>
White Blade got up and walked over to Nurse Joy.
"Excuse me, can me and
my friend get something to eat?"
Nurse Joy flashed a pretty smile. "Sure! I'll
have some brought out to
you guys."
"Thanks. By the way, how's Blizzard doing?"
"The Persian? Oh, she'll be good to go in a few
minutes. Ribs should
be healed soon. The little tuft of fur will have to grow
back naturally
though."
White Blade walked back over to Draconi and sat down. He
was tired and
quickly fell asleep.
Continued By: Bandraptor
Blizzard lay in the Poké Center, sulking. She
wasn't used to losing battles,
and somewhere in her mind, was already formulating an excuse for
having lost.
A pink haired nurse walked up beside her, smiling warmly.
"Looks like you're
all healed, kitty," she said, stroking the cat behind the
ears. "You can leave,
whenever you're ready."
"Persian..." Blizzard protested, picking up the hint.
Her ribs still hurt. She
knew she'd have to get up eventually, but that didn't make her
any more
willing.
The Persian rested her chin against the ground, contemplating her
next move.
When she left the Poké Center, utter humiliation would await
her. Everyone who
saw her, would know she lost a battle, as it was indicated by the
lost fur on
her tail.
White Blade and Orion had promised, that they would help her to
find a
Jigglypuff. Normally, it would have delighted Blizzard, to be so
close to her
goal, of catching one of the bug-eyed creatures. Today, however,
she was so
filled with shame, that not even that could have cheered her.
Obviously, there was only one thing that Blizzard could do: She'd
have to
challenge Brock to a rematch, and defeat him.
The question was, how?
Blizzard considered for a moment, a legend she'd heard, back at
Seafoam.
According to the story, a resourceful Meowth, who could speak the
language of
the gods, once fell a giant rock demon, in an effort to retrieve
a golden egg
for its master. There were varying accounts of the story, some
said that it
slew the monster with a double-edged sword, while others claimed
it had cast a
powerful water spell, to stop the beast.
Blizzard had no sword, and despite what her name implied, knew no
water or ice
attacks.
However...
Blizzard got to her feet, cringing visibly, at the pain in her
side; and
walked out to the Pokécenter lobby. White Blade was dozing, at
his Dragonite's
feet.
"Hey." Blizzard nudged the Clefairy with her paw,
causing him to jump.
"Whuh..?" White Blade rubbed his eyes, groggily.
"Clefairy..." Blizzard smiled, "Tell me, please...
where might I be able to
find a Bubblebeam TM?"
Continued By: M.W.F.
"Wha..." White Blade shook his
head, shaking the sleep from it. "Oh,
Blizzard! You're up! How're you feeling?"
"Sore..."
"Understandably. Now, what were you asking?
Bubbles?"
"Bubblebeam TM. I want to get one."
"Really? Hmm... Well, that's is Misty's
specialty. We could get one
from her if we won a match, unless she'd be kind enough to give
one
away."
"Misty?"
"Another Gym leader, like Brock. She specializes in
Water type
pokemon."
At that moment, Nurse Joy came by with three plates of
food. She set
one down in front of Draconi, one in front of White Blade, and
one in
front of Blizzard. "Enjoy guys!" She turned
around and left. White
Blade started munching down the pokechow. "Hmm.. not
bad."
Draconi just started munching at his and Blizzard looked down at
it.
White Blade swallowed and said, "Eat up! You'll need
you strength. If
you want to get a TM 10, we'll have to go through Mount
Moon. And quit
looking so glum! The fur should grow back quickly
enough."
"The fur is only one of my worries."
"Oh, you mean the loss? Don't worry yourself about
it. Noone's
perfect. Learning from your mistakes is the only way to
move forward.
Apparently, you're smart enough to know that those Rock type
pokemon
would fall quickly to water. Now chow down. I don't
know if you'll
like it, but it highly nutritious."
Blizzard sniffed at it when White Blade suddenly wondered aloud,
"Say,
anyone seen Samuraichu?"
Continued By: Bandraptor
"Purr..." Blizzard sighed,
"but if not a wild Pokémon, what am I?"
"The TM box is registered under Samuraichu's
name..." White Blade responded,
carefully. "If you were to use it, you would be registered
as his, as well."
Blizzard appeared to be thinking this over. "I
belong to myself." she began,
at length, "therefore, I shall find my own TM. Once I use
it, I shall be
registered to myself...and no one else will be able to capture
me."
White Blade frowned. "I don't know if that's
how these things work..."
"No use worrying about it now." Blizzard
forced a grin. "I've been inside
far too long. Shall we set out again?"