This is an idea I got from the Pokemon Lady... narrating a deck fix as a sort of story. Let's see how good a job I can do of it... Feedback here is welcome. If you like it and want me to do more, say so. If you hate it and think I should stick to fixing decks, say so too. If you really couldn't care less, don't say anything at all.

>From:Mark <mlevine9@home.com>
>
>Since the pojo web box is down as I write, here is a deck for you. It
>is
>called The Transforming Flame. The deck's goal is to Get Flareon out to
>kick a$$ or to use Ditto to kick a$$. The Magmars and Jigglys are in
>there for the early game, and Mime. Jiggly's also help with the fire
>weakness and the magmars help with poisnining. The eeves are nice by
>themselves, in the early game. The ditto's are the primary fighters
>against raindance decks in this deck, also quite good against high
>energy costing pokemon. The Flareons are the prime pokemon, with a nice
>60 damage a turn, killing all pokemon in 2 hits, except for Mr. Mime.
>The Bills, GOW's, Er's, Plus Powers, and Proffeser Oaks are in there
>for
>obvious reasons. When I get a 2nd one, i will replace. THe DCE are
>helpful to power up Ditto, Jiggly, and even Flareon! The reason for the
>fire energy (For all u dope smokers) is to power up the attacks. *Pets
>Fay (My Flareon) on Back. Good Flareon.* Give my regards to Vulpix.
>Brush Fire was the first deck I got. CI-=|}
>
>Pokemon: 17
>4 Eevee
>3 Flareon
>3 Ditto
>3 Jigglypuff
>4 Magmar
>
>Trainers: 18
>4 Pluspower
>2 Proffeser Oak
>4 Bill
>4 ER
>4 GOW
>
>Energy: 25 (Haven't had any energy problems)
>3 DCE
>22 Fire Energy
>
>KoolKow

***

The door to the Shed clatters open. A young man sticks his head in. "Pardon me. Is this really Spike's Shed?"

At the sound of the voice, a figure seated at a computer swivels around to face the newcomer. "Well, I'm Spike. And this is a shed. So yes, it looks like it. Can I help you with something?"

"Oh. So you're Spike. I wanted you to help fix my Pokemon deck. And while we're at it, I was wondering if we could have a battle..."

Spike grins. "No reason we can't do both at the same time." At the signal from Spike, Vulpix scampers into the makeshift battle arena at the center of the Shed. "Go Vulpix!"

The other whips a Pokeball from his belt and tosses it into the arena with a flick of his wrist. "Go, Flareon!"

Flareon emerges from the Pokeball in a flash of light and lands on all fours. It turns and wiggles its tail obscenely at Vulpix. Vulpix responds with the Pokemon equivalent of a universal gesture.

"Your Pokemon look pretty good," begins Spike as the two Fire-types circle, eyeing one another warily. "I especially like seeing Flareon--he deserves more credit than he gets, in my opinion. Though I'd take Arcanine or Ninetales any day. Actually, it's just good to see someone playing fire. And Magmars are good-- assuming, as always, that they're from Fossil."

"They are, they are," the youngster hastily assures Spike. "Flareon, Ember attack!"

"Vulpix, Body Slam attack!"

Fay spits a burst of fire at Vulpix. Vulpix meets the blast head-on and pounces, landing with all fours on the Flareon.

"Aren't you going to yell at me for having Ditto in there?"

Spike laughs as he watches the Pokemon gather themselves for their next attack. "I could, but I won't. You see, I'm mainly against people who worship Ditto as a god and who think that throwing one of him in their deck is going to be some sort of magic pill. I still don't like him-- most decks can find something more stable and just as good-- but he is good for metagaming certain decks, and you just might know what you're doing here. If you can use him well, more power to you. Vulpix, Confuse Ray attack!"


The sudden attack catches the challenger off guard. "Quick Attack now!"

The Confuse Ray misses. Vulpix is sent sprawling on his back by the Flareon's sudden headlong rush.

"Your Flareon is well trained," says Spike approvingly. "Speaking of training, that's the next area of the deck we have to go through." He consults the deck. "PlusPowers, Bills, ERs, Oaks. I like this. Good job. Just a couple of things that bother me. First, no searching. Why?"

"Umm... I guess I forgot."

"You forgot. Well, don't forget. Forgetting has lost me many battles." Spike nods. "I tell you what. First, we can take out two Gusts for two Computer Searches. Running four GOWs would be nice if we had the room, but as-is it may be overkill."

"Computer Searches? Why shouldn't I use Pokemon Trader? I wouldn't have to discard anything..." The voice trails off hesitantly.

Spike smiles. "You've only got two Oaks in this deck. Do you really want to just hope you draw one when you need it? Or any trainer, for that matter? And what about those Double Colorless? Your Ditto is up against a Promo Mewtwo. One energy on. You need a DCE. Pokemon Trader is a worthless piece of paper in your hand."

"Wow! You know something? You're right."

"You could also stand to have an Item Finder. I just like to have one in a deck, even if I can only fit one. It'll pay for itself. Maybe we could take out a PlusPower--three should be sufficient and Item Finder can become a fourth if you need it to."

"True." The other suddenly remembers something. "Aren't we supposed to be having a battle here? Flareon-- Flamethrower attack!"

Spike grins. "Time to finish this. Vulpix, go underground!"

With the skills passed on by hundreds of generations of vulpine ancestors, Vulpix burrows quickly into the dirt floor of the Shed. The plume of fire misses.

Mark is beginning to sweat. Spike ignores this as he continues. "You should probably be running four DCEs. Your colored energy costs are relatively low, and with Flareon, Jiggly, and Ditto all making use of colorless, there's no excuse to do otherwise. Vulpix, Dig attack now!"

The ground under Fay splits. The Flareon is hurled into the air as Vulpix emerges from the ground beneanth it. From out of nowhere, a strange voice intones, "It's super effective!"

"Flareon, return." The challenger dejectedly whisks his champion back into its Pokeball.

Spike sits back down in his chair. Vulpix dusts itself off, then runs over and jumps up in Spike's lap. "Is there anything else you needed to know?"

"Um, yeah. Could I have a deck listing? I kinda didn't follow some of that..."

"Certainly." Spike hands him a computer printout.

***

17 Pokemon:

4 Eevee
3 Flareon
3 Ditto
3 Jigglypuff
4 Magmar

18 Trainers:

3 PlusPower
4 Bill
2 Oak
2 Computer Search
2 GOW
4 Energy Removal
1 Item Finder

25 Energy:

21 Fire Energy
4 DCE

***

Mark brightens somewhat. "Thanks."

Spike nods. "You're welcome. Come again anytime."



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