POKEMON A.R.

			  ------------------------
			  The Hidden Nation Series
			  ------------------------

			      Walkin' Trouble

				 (PROLOUGE)

				   PART 7


	"You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs."


						-Vladmir Lenin, the 1st
Socialist Dictator of Russia, in a speech to his general assembly when
farmers, desperate for food, rose up against him -- Lenin, seeing them as
enemies of 'greater Russia', had them hunted down by the army and
exterminated... I'd hate to see what he'd do for pancakes!


				* * *


	Soccer practice was, needless to say, eventful for everyone
involved; human and pokŽmon alike! But it's over now and everything can
get back to normal... whatever THAT'S like.

=========================================================================


Just outside of Sunnytown Soccer Field
--------------------------------------

	Tyler, Jackii, and Jesse made their way from Tyler's Soccer
practice. After some difficulty moving about, it was decided that they'd
all go straight home; the beating from the Soccer balls curing the
dueling feminine duo of their desire to get shoulder time with Tyler...
at least for today. Tyler decided to take Jackii (whom was wearing Tyler
out more as that she was using him for support as opposed to Jesse, who
was using poor Polywhirl) home first and she'd agreed (her scheme of
getting an after practice soda with Tyler all but forgotten).

	The trip was uneventful-- but the scene at Jackii's front door
was initially distressing as Tyler, holding up Jackii, helped her up her
front steps only to meet Mr. Wipple when the door opened.

	"Hello Tyler." Mr. Wipple said as he looked at Jackii propped up
by Tyler and Jesse barely conscious as she was held by Polywhirl.

	"Uhhh..." Tyler managed as he handed Mr. Wipple his only child
who only managed a "Hi Daddy" before she passed out.

	Tyler began to say something but Mr. Wipple interrupted. "I don't
even wanna know." he said, "As long as she isn't a wreck like last time."

	"Apology accepted." Tyler said with a smile as he wobbled down
the stairs of the Wipple residence's front porch. Tyler knew Mr. Wipple
was somewhat proud and wouldn't apologize straight (add that to the fact
he was a guy and you made the idea of an open apology impossible!) but
understood all the hubbub anyway... Jackii's nearly neurotic mood swings
were kinda making Tyler nutty too, and *HE*, at least, had a break...
Mr. Wipple LIVED with her!

	"He wasn't mad, was he?" Jesse asked as the Wipple's front door
closed and Tyler rejoined his waiting companions.

	"He's been under stress is all." Tyler said, "Hopefully things'll
calm down now."

	Yah, I guess." Jesse said.

	They made their way along until they finally arrived at what
Jesse claimed to be her house.

	"Uhh, are you sure this is *your* place?" Tyler asked as he
looked over the expansive front yard.

	"Hello sweetheart!" a woman's voice called from the side, "Who's
your friend there?"

	A woman (looking VERY much like Jesse) walked from the side rose
garden, waving to Tyler and his group.

	"Hi mom!" Jesse yelled, getting off of Polywhirl (who fell over,
grateful for the break) and running to her mother.

	"You look like you've been having fun." her mother told her. She
turned her head to look at the boy that had brought her daughter home...
he *was* cute little one! The boy had sandy brown hair with pretty brown
eyes, and was... 'different' from other little boys somehow... Of course!
she decided, this must be Tyler, the aura [emotion surrounding a person
that other people can literally 'feel'... psychics claim this goes
further as that an aura lets them have 'powers' of some sort] he
projected was one of kindness, which was confirmed when Jesse lost her
balance and Tyler ran to catch her.

	"Easy there," Tyler said, "you OK?"

	"Yah..."Jesse managed weakly.

	"Jessica, don't take this wrong, but you look like you could use
a quick shower before you and your freind go out again." her mother said,
summoning a butler before her daughter could protest, "Pennyworth, take
Jessica to the baths and find her a change of clothes while I entertain
her friend."

	As Pennyworth helped Jessica inside, Tyler began to back away,
somewhat unsettled by being alone with Jesse's mother. "I actually should
be going." he said, "I need to get changed too and--"

	"Oh no." the rather beautiful woman said, "There's no need to
break up your afternoon because I'm picky about my daughter's appearance.
I can drive you home and you could get cleaned up and changed and I'll
drive you back here to get Jessica and I'll take you two wherever you
want to go."

	Tyler was seriously uneasy... this woman seemed to stare right
into his soul-- not necessarily in a bad or evil way persay, but the idea
of anyone being able to do that made him extremely edgy.

	"I dunno," he said, "it'd be a lot of trouble--"

	"No trouble at all." she said, "And I'm sure you're tired and
could use a ride as opposed to walking."

	Tyler *WAS* tired and really didn't feel like walking anymore,
so he gave in. "Sure." he said, "I guess so."

	She smiled. "Get your pokŽmon ready then while I get the car."

	Tyler had Polywhirl and Psyduck both get into their pokŽballs,
but Pidgeotto and Squirtle refused to go back, rather, wanted to stay
out with Tyler.

	"Well, if you guys have the energy NOT to rest, I guess it's OK."
Tyler said, giving in.

	The trio got into the back of the car where Jesse's mom had
stopped it and had let them in. She pulled out of the driveway and, after
getting directions from Tyler, she began driving.

	"You seem to be a good friend to Jesse." she told Tyler as she
drove.

	"Didn't quite start out that way but I guess so now." he said,
trying to keep an eye on Squirtle and Pidgeotto as they looked out the
windows on either side of him. He squirmed on the Corinthian Leather
covered back seat and stared at the flush interior of the car; it all
spelled out one thing: Jesse's family was beyond rich, they were stupid
rich.

	"Good to hear." she said, going on, "I was afraid Jesse would
never find any stable friends. She's a good girl but she's been hanging
with a rather, 'unsavory' crowd lately."

	The things Tyler could tell her about how unsavory that crowd
WAS-- still, it wasn't his place and Jesse was his friend.

	"Glad you think I'm savory." Tyler said when he saw she'd wanted
a response.

	He got a laugh from her on that. Tyler watched out the window as
the orphanage came into view. Jesse's mom pulled up into the drive and
let him out.

	"I'll be awhile." Tyler told her.

	"Take your time." she said.

	When Tyler had gone inside, Jesse's mother pulled a car-phone
from under the dash board and dialed back home.

	Jesse picked up, fresh from her shower. "Hello?" she said over
the line.

	"Jessica, it's your mother. I called because I think you need
some help getting your plan straightened out."

	"How so?" she asked, drying her hair.

	"You came home a mess so I assume things didn't go too well."

	"Well," Jesse said, "the carbo-drink thing bombed... and--"

	And, saving space here, Jesse relayed the events of the Soccer
field to her mother. After a few moments of silent thinking, her mother
spoke up into the phone.

	"Then you'll have to do this right sweetheart. Getting time with
Tyler seems impossible with that other girl around, so you'll have to
stick with your strength."

	"Which is?" Jesse asked, getting prepped for her mother and
Tyler's return to the house to get her.

	"Your rich parents of course, and I know just how to apply that
with Tyler."


* * *


	"Tyler, who's out front?" Ms. Harmon said, looking out the front
window. The rather expensive looking car had pulled up and dropped Tyler
off, after which he'd changed, gotten cleaned up and was making sure it
was OK to stay out for the rest of the afternoon.

	"That's Jesse's mom out front." Tyler said, "She drove me here to
get cleaned up and save me walk. She's going to take Jesse and I... well,
to wherever Jesse had in mind to go, I guess."

	"I have nothing against it in principle," Ms. Harmon said, "but
what about being careful Tyler?"

	"I don't think that's even an issue Ms. H," Tyler said, "Jesse
and her mom are nice; although kinda weird. I like Jesse -- just as a
friend, but I still like her. Besides, it's not like they're gonna try to
kidnap me or something, right?"

	Ms. Harmon got rigid... she took a deep, labored breath, and
managed to face Tyler again.

	"As you know, you being allowed out during a certain time was
part of your continuing education, but that came with enhanced
responsibilities." Ms. Harmon began, "As that in mind, you STILL
haven't fulfilled your chores, and you'll have to finish them before you
go anywhere."

	"But that's not fair!" Tyler said, "You're just trying to keep me
from going out!"

	"When your chores are done, THEN you can go." Ms. Harmon said,
her voice icy, "I'll inform Jesse's mother; I'm sure if she's waited THIS
long, she can wait 15 minutes."

	Tyler couldn't object -- he was stuck. "Ok," he said, "thanks for
telling her Ms. H."

	As Tyler went to do the dishes, Ms. Harmon walked outside and to
the pull-in on the drive where Jesse's mom had stopped.

	"Good idea Jessica," Ms. Harmon heard the red-haired woman in the
car say into her mobile phone, "we'll be there soon; goodbye sweetheart."

	Jesse's mother turned to face the orphanage superintendent.

	"Greetings and salutations." she said.

	"Tyler will be awhile, he has some chores to do." Ms. Harmon
said, half hoping the woman she was speaking to would just leave.

	"No problem, my daughter is still primping -- and you know how
that goes."

	"Lets cut the cordial chit-chat and get to it." Ms. Harmon said,
annoyed "what are you and your daughter doing Eileen?"

	Eileen brushed a strand of red hair out of her face. "A mall run,
you know... picking up this and--"

	"I mean with Tyler." Ms. Harmon said, angrily.

	"Such a tone Rachael dear," Eileen said, "and for what? It's all
a lesson in life. My little girl has a crush and I'm helping her get over
her inhibitions."

	"What about Tyler?" Rachael Harmon demanded, "Is he just some
guinea pig for your sick little mind games? And what about the Wipple
girl -- you've caused her no end of distress and for what; so you can
relive your disturbed love-life through your daughter?"

	"First off," Jesse's mother began, "the Wipple girl is the one
doing the mind games; you know the one Rachael, the 'I'm a helpless needy
woman and I need a man' routine... It was idiocy from you but it's just
sick from her. As for Jesse; she may try to hide it but she cares for that
boy more than she lets on and I just want her to be happy."

	"I raised *that* boy." Ms. Harmon said, "And he's more than some
trophy for your offspring."

	"I'm doing him a favor." Eileen said, "He's getting a taste of a
world he may very well never know."

	"That's just how you work isn't it?" Ms. Harmon said, "Lure them
away with false intentions and then quietly work on them until you own
them."

	"OH!" Eileen said, "So THATS it! This is about you blowing your
chances with *my* husband because YOU were a control freak. I wanted to
make his dreams come true and it's not his nor my fault you pushed him
away like you did."

	"What was the good of seeing him?" Rachael Harmon demanded, "You
were always there, he cared more about your empty promises than our
relationship."

	"I made good on those promises you jealous witch." Eileen said,
"And if your relationship was THAT low on his list of priorities then it
must not've meant that much to him anyhow, don'tch-you think?"

	"You ruined our love and now your trying to do the same thing to
Tyler and the Wipple girl, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!"

	"Tyler, to my understanding, made it quite clear to the Wipple
girl that he wasn't interested." Eileen said, "And as for the right,
you're correct in saying *I* have no right; only Tyler has the right
to decide, it's *his* choice... I'm just playing chauffeur really. But
as far as rights go, *I* have more right to interfere than YOU; after
all, I'm Jesse's mother... you're just a civil servant."

	"You listen..." Rachael Harmon said, anger piercing her very
being, "I've been the only parent that boy has EVER known. Since he was a
week old to the day I got him, I've fed him, clothed him, bathed him,
changed his diapers, taught him to talk, read, write, and the rest of his
education, as well as been the one to take care of him when he was sick,
sad, hurt, or lonely. I may as well be his mother seeing as I've done
more than either his real mother or father EVER did... because not only
have I done all that but I loved him when no one else would. So don't you
DARE ask what 'right' I have to care for him when you nor your daughter
nor anyone else on this planet have even pretended to care until now."

	"Well." Jesse's mother said, "Seeing as you care so much I guess
I'll just HAVE to catipulate."

	"So you'll leave him alone?" Ms. Harmon said.

	"No," Eileen countered, "but despite how uneasy it will be, I'll
make sure you're at the children's wedding when the time comes."


	Pidgeotto and Squirtle, still in the backseat, stayed silent as
the drama finished unfolding... although Pidgeotto did silently wonder
whether this was more like a soap opera or an episode of Beverly Hills
90210.


[Author's note: Like there's any difference between the two.]


* * *


	Tyler (albeit with dish-pan hands) made his way to the car where
a VERY frustrated Ms. Harmon was doing her best to walk away from the car
without screaming. As Tyler walked towards the car to get in, Ms. Harmon
stopped him, giving him a hug.

	"Have fun, OK?" she managed, sounding as if she were going to
burst into tears right there. When Tyler had taken and passed his G.E.D.
Rachael Harmon had, via the power of the city, had him declared an
emancipated child, meaning he could go out and be freer to find work and
such... unfortunately, it also meant Tyler could go as he pleased within
certain constraints. This boiled down to the fact that the only way to
stop Tyler once his chores were done was to threaten booting him from the
orphanage (since he COULD be a pokŽmon, he wasn't required to stay) and
with Jesse and her mother doing the things they were they'd probably goad
him on, resulting in Tyler being totally stuck since he was rather
stubborn and was totally in their influence.

	"Sure..." he said, "I'll be back soon."

	She let him go and Tyler got in the back seat with his pokŽmon,
both of whom look as though they went through Hell on earth.

	Before he could ask them about anything, however, Jesse's mother
started the car and drove off.

	"I was thinking," she told Tyler, "the town across the bay was
just on the other side of the Safari Zone... I was thinking about taking
Jesse there to get a pokŽmon of her own; I know you have pokŽmon already
but you're obviously just starting your collection and I was wondering if
you'd like to come with us when we went there."

	"I'd have to think about that." he said.

	"No rush dear." she said, "It wouldn't be until next summer when
Jesse had her next break from PokŽmon Tech anyway, so you can take all
the time you need."

	Tyler sat in the back quietly as they drove up to Jesse's home.
He couldn't help but wonder what all the hubbub was about; after all,
Jackii and Ms. H were total wrecks it seemed and his pokŽmon looked like
they'd just seen a murder or something... and all this since he'd met
Jesse. Coincidence?

	He couldn't help but feel like Luke Skywalker in the second Star-
Wars flick; it was as if something were trying to ruin everything he held
dear -- but it didn't make sense!

	The car pulled into the drive way of the massive estate that was
Jesse's abode where, next to some violet plants, Jesse stood waiting.
When her mother had stopped, she'd run up to meet them.

	"Hi mom, hi Tyler!" Jesse said, getting in the car with them.
Tyler looked up as Jesse's mom took the car out of the driveway(more like
freeway by the size of it) and back onto the open road.

	"So, Jesse," Tyler said, now getting a MAJOR feeling of unease,
"you-a, ya know... I mean, where are we off to?"

	"That depends on the way you answer this next question." Jesse
said, "Tyler, how would you like to evolve your pokŽmon in ways you can't
now?"

	Tyler heard that and thought one thing.

	"I don't need rare candies." he said, "I mean, that's really just
side-stepping *REAL* pokŽmon raising and--"

	Jesse laughed. "No silly, you don't get it." Jesse said as her
mother continued down the road, "I mean, what if you could evolve your
Polywhirl?"

	"Into what?" Tyler said, not knowing he actually COULD evolve it
beyond it's current form.

	Jesse looked at him. "You really don't know?" she said.

	"No." he said.

	"Well," she said, "there's this stone they found awhile back...
lots of'em actually. They have this weird energy that effects different
types of pokŽmon and changes them depending on the stone. There's four
types they mine from the mountain near Stone Town; Fire, Water, Leaf, and
Thunder stones. They can evolve certain pokŽmon into stronger types
without	having to gain levels... in fact, using the stones is the only
way to actually enable the evolutions. In Polywhirl's case, a water stone
will turn it into Polywrath, a water AND fighting type pokŽmon."

	"Sounds like Polywhirl's cup'a-tea." Squirtle told Pidgeotto in
pokŽlanguage. Pidgeotto nodded in agreement.

	Tyler sat back. He HAD seen the stones in the store as he'd
walked past... of course, they'd been 30,000 yen, and ergo WAAAY out of
his financial capability to purchase. Still, the idea of evolving
Polywhirl seemed awesome... he still remembered it flopping around as
Polywag, weak and practically helpless; now, as Polywhirl, it was a
force of pokŽ-power to be reckoned with! -- Tyler could only imagine what
it could accomplish as this 'Polywrath'.

	"I..." he began, "I'd have to ask him if it's what he'd want
first."

	"What?" Jesse asked, surprised.

	"I'd have to see what Polywhirl wants to do before I start
planning to change it." Tyler said.

	Jesse wanted to say it was just a stupid pokŽmon and be done with
it but her mother, seeing her intent in her eyes, spoke up.

	"Then summon him and ask." she said.

	"But why?" Tyler said, "I can't afford a stone!"

	"Don't worry about that dear, my daughter and I have ways around
things like that." the elder of the mother-daughter duo said, "Just
summon him and do what you have to. But, if you would, please get those
other ones of yours put away before you bring it out; too many pokŽmon
and not enough space don't mix very well."

	"Treating us like toys or something!" Pidgeotto snapped in her
pokŽlanguage, "The *nerve*!"

	Tyler looked at his two pokŽmon with a guilty look, unwilling to
to force them back after (basically) hearing Pidgeotto's comment... until
Squirtle stood up and, with a wink, pushed the open button on the pokŽball
in Tyler's hand, sending him into it in a flash of purple energy. Tyler
replaced Squirtle's pokŽball on his pokŽbelt and pulled Pidgeotto's. She
cooed a soft "It's OK, I understand" before Tyler put her too into a
pokŽball; placing it on his pokŽbelt next to Squirtle's.

	Tyler then pulled out Polywhirl's pokŽball and opened it,
releasing him onto the backseat in a haze of blue light.

	"Polywhirl." it said, now out of it's confinement.

	Polywhirl blinked, looking at the three humans as he shook the
effects of sleep off. "Oh great..." he said in his pokŽlanguage, "now my
trainer and I are encompassed by red-haired daemons... I *am* cursed!"

	"Hey Polywhirl," Tyler said as Polywhirl now paid sole attention
to his trainer, "I need to ask you something... You know how, when I got
you from that loser claiming to be your trainer you weren't the most
powerful pokŽmon, but even then you had guts. Well, you're a new pokŽmon
type now, and a strong one too, but I have to ask you -- if you could be
even stronger... would you? I mean... if you could be a 'Polywrath',
would you want to?"

	Polywhirl looked at his trainer with large eyes...

	"A Polywrath..." he said in pokŽlanguage, which came out as
"Whiirrrl... Poly..." for the human ears. Polywhirl was in semi-disbelief
as that he'd KNEW only a water stone could help him become a Polywrath
and that Tyler couldn't afford one... still, if there was even a CHANCE
that his trainer could do this...

	"Well," Tyler said, seeing Polywhirl lost in thought, "would you
like that?"

	Polywhirl looked into Tyler's eyes and, on some weird level, they
seemed to connect somehow.

	"I want that very much." Tyler heard Polywhirl say.

	"He wants it." Tyler said, repeating Polywhirl's sentiments, his
vertigo in the experience of his human-pokŽmon connection keeping him
from seeming overtly excited at being able to fully understand his first
bit of pokŽmon speech.

	"Well then, there we go." Jesse's mother said, "Now that we have
a consensus we can do something about this. Now Tyler, what time do you
need to get back?"

	"By five if I want dinner," he said, "and by eight for curfew...
after that and I could be confined to grounds... I think at least; I
might actually get kicked out now with everything as it is and all, I'd
have to check."

	"What?" Jesse said, ACTUALLY semi-tickled with the idea of Tyler
with no place to go... he could stay at her place in one of the spare
bedrooms and with so much distance between her bedroom and her parents...

	As they road on, Tyler explained his situation with the city's
educational board and how he'd been working for extra cash as he'd been
attending classes (and how, with the finals only a week away, he was
getting A's in them) as well as his situation with the PokŽmon Fanclub
and how he'd gotten so many items for nothing more than having a case of
good dumb luck.

	As Tyler finished, Jesse's mother pulled up into a familiar
looking parking lot.

	"This is the PokŽ Petstore!" Tyler said, "What are we doing
*here*?"

	"This is the best place to get items." Jesse's mother said as she
let Jesse and Tyler out," I know the manager and she can help us set you
up with a water stone.

	As Jesse and her mother led Tyler and Polywhirl, the trainer and
his pokŽmon both got uneasy... this place wasn't exactly a hotspot for
good times on memory lane after all; 3 of Tyler's pokŽmon had been through
things no pokŽmon should've been subjected to and the person responsible
hadn't thought twice about it... maybe not even once.

	With all these thoughts running through his head the surprise
that was waiting for him when he entered came as a total shock.

	"Ghee," Jesse said, "this place looks different."

	Indeed it did look different. Where once the dark cages Tyler had
seen the last time he'd been here there was now an open plastic
enclosement with a small little habitat where pokŽmon were playing with
small plastic squeek toys; in another area there was a large aviary where
several Pidgeys were roosting; and finally, a LARGE aquarium, separated
into 4 parts, had various water type pokŽmon playing.

	"Wow." Tyler said, "This place looks... *nice*!"

	"Your friend must've redecorated mom." Jesse said.

	"Like she would've THOUGHT of this let alone done it." a voice
said from the side.

	"Hi Karl." Tyler said, "You better not let the Dragon Lady hear
ya say that, she'll can ya for sure."

	"Oh her?" Karl said, "She's gone! I'm the store manager now...
like what I've done with the place?"

	"Very much so." Tyler said, noting the distinct HAPPINESS of the
pokŽmon for sale and the distinct lack of a 'clearance' area.

	"What do you mean GONE?" Jesse' mother asked.

	"You don't know?" Karl said, "The PokŽmon Fanclub led a MAJOR
boycott against the company, so cleaned house with a lot of the managers
when they saw how things were being run... which is good news for
everyone; trust me."

	"I fail to see how intolerance on the part of some group of
conservative whackos is a good thing." Jesse's mother said, obviously
angry over the change in management.

	"Oh it's great!" Karl said, in such a good mood he didn't get the
obvious slight, "The employees were being treated like dirt, so with the
old managers gone, that's fixed AND we lesser employees got promotions
that we've been passed over for years. The pokŽmon are actually healthier
and happier with the new conditions and are being sold easier as a
result, which means the pokŽmon get homes instead of being stuck here
which makes the company moocho-dinero since they make more sales and
don't have to pay for caring for the pokŽmon as long. All that, and now
we have the official sponsorship of the PokŽmon Fanclub, which is getting
us WAY more customers!"

	"Sounds awesome." Tyler said, "And people say the wheels of
Democracy move slowly."

	Jesse's mother made an unpleasant sigh. "Well, with this news
I'm somewhat hesitant to ask but... you still carry evolution stones
don't you? Or was the idea of evolution too stressful for pokŽmon to
allow you to sell them?"

	"Stones are in the items area." Karl said, putting up with the
rudeness, "Oh, and Tyler, you should know members of the PokŽmon Fanclub
get a 15% discount on every item in the store."

	"It seems like my day." Tyler said in a VERY good mood. He wnet
into the next room after Karl with Polywhirl following close behind and
Jesse and her mother taking up the rear.

	"We have a wide selection of stones here, as you can see." Karl
said, motioning to the display case, "Fire, Water, Leaf, and Thunder
stones all 30,000 yen... 25,500 with your discount Tyler[15%, do the math
if you doubt me! -Author]. We also have lesser stones for 2,100 yen
that'll work... but only once though."

	"Lesser?" Tyler said.

	"Well," Karl said, "we take charges from full stones and form
these lesser ones with a quartz housing."

	"What kind of generic stone is that?" Jesse asked. IT was common
knowledge Evolution stones could work repeatedly, maybe even dozens of
times before it lost it's charge; so the idea of a stone only working
once was naturally odd to say the least.

	"Well," Karl said, "we've had... *problems* with the fuller
versions of the stones."

	"Problems?" Jesse asked.

	"Well," Karl said, now getting uneasy, "the very nature of stones
is to change pokŽmon DNA... but apparently there are stones with a higher
charge that, for some reason or another, effect human DNA."

	"What?!" Jesse said, now concerned, "You mean... I could change
into a pokŽmon if I used the wrong stone?! EEEEWWWWW!"

	"I am hurt, needless to say." Polywhirl told Tyler in
pokŽlanguage. Tyler got enough of the meaning to smile at the comment.

	Karl shook his head. "No," he told Jesse, "no one has turned into
pokŽmon. However, there have been reports of odd hair and eye colorations
due to the stone used."

	"Odd colorations?" Jesse's mother asked.

	"Depending on the stone from what the reports say." Karl said,
"The company has had reports indicating Thunder stones cause odd yellow/
orange hair/eye colorations; Fire stones cause red hair; Leaf stones
cause green hair;  Water stones have caused blue hair/eyes; and SOME
stones, regardless of their color, have been reported to actually take
AWAY the color, and have left some people with WHITE hair and eyes."

	"Those reports are unfounded." Jesse's mother said, "Ever since
evolution stones were discovered there've been weird reports."

	"Well," Karl said, "all I know is that we never used to have
people with blue, orange, or green hair until we started using the
stones. That, and these people haven't been able to undo the color
changes, so I'd REALLY want to think before going with a green 'du."

	That was true Tyler thought. Heck, Rookie Officer Jenny had
blue hair and Jesse and her mother had rather 'deep' red hair... and even
assistant Joy had a pinkish tone (probably had a red haired mom and a
white haired dad). Still... he NEEDED to evolve Polywhirl; well, maybe
not needed to, but Polywhirl wanted it enough to SAY so and it was
apparent to Tyler it was important for him.

	"So," Jesse said, "what does that have to do with these weaker
stones?"

	"Well," Karl said, "as a choice to customers, these lesser stones
may only have one charge, but the quartz seal keeps the charge from going
haywire and changing the DNA in humans."

	"Why not put a seal on the better stones too?" Tyler asked.

	"The charge in a full stone is WAY too large." Karl said,
"Besides, the lesser stones aren't actually evolutions stones... they're
crystalline growths that are given the charge from an evolution stone."

	"Why go through the trouble?" Jesse asked, "Could they, ya know,
chop it into pieces?"

	"Evolution stones, after their charge is gone, are actually quite
valuable." Karl said, "They serve as excellent filler for creating hybrid
varieties of commercial minerals such as diamonds, gems, rubies,
sapphires, the list goes on and on! It's much easier to just lift the
charge and keep the stone than it is to follow EVERY trainer, buy back
the shards, extract a tiny piece of rock, and then reconstitute it all.
The cost alone for doing that is ludicrously more than the gains."

	"Well," Jesse's mother said, "at least SOMEONE was awake at the
switch. But enough chit-chat. I'd like a greater water stone."

	Karl looked at her. "You want one DESPITE what I've just told
you?"

	"What did I just say?" she said back, annoyed.

	"Please don't be angry," Karl said, unlocking the case, "I'm just
fulfilling company policy -- I HAVE to ensure you are aware of the
potential risks involved."

	"Of course." she said, "And could you please be prompt, I'm
somewhat in a rush."

	"Of course ma'am." he said, ringing up the total at the register
to the side, "Will that be all?"

	"Yes please." she said.

	"Hey Tyler," Karl said, ringing up everything and taking Eileen's
credit card, "as manager I've been given leeway on doing new things... ya
know, products and stuff. I was wondering, that leg-chain idea of yours
for pokŽmon... I'd like to try that out but since I got the idea from you
I wanted to know if you wouldn't mind."

	"Sure." Tyler said, somewhat confused he hadn't just done it
since he himself had gotten the idea from athletes, "No problem."

	Karl handed them the bag with the receipt and, with a "Thank You"
the trio went back out to the parking lot to head back home.

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Tyler Trawets and Jackii Wipple are internet creative property of
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