Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55

 

Gotta Catch The Pretty Ones

© 2011-2014 by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

 

Chapter Twenty-Five





Sara was lonely, it had been five long days since Penny had left and the house felt like an empty box. She had so become used to Penny’s presence that the lack of it took something from her life, even with Patricia’s presence last night. Even the slow but steady stream of customers barely drew her from her fog as she kept waiting for Penny to pop in and say it was lunchtime. At least she would be back in three days, that was the only thing that kept the redhead from pounding her head against the wall in loneliness. That and a very intelligent Patricia. What finally drew her from her funk was a nineteen year old Pokemon Hunter named Ralph with a rather strange problem. The type eleven he had purchased in Celadon City had simply stopped working, though a slight buzzing sound could be heard even with the device closed.


“It is inhabited?” Sara asked as she sat the ball carefully on a cloth on her counter.


“Not this one” Ralph answered. “I had taken it out to try and catch a Pikachu, but when it landed there was a loud pop, then just this sound.” He looked down at the crippled device. “I thought it might explode or burn up so I left it alone for an hour. No matter what I’ve tried since then all it does is make that buzzing sound. It won’t even open now.”


By now Sara had noticed the scent of an electrical discharge. Something inside was arching, thus creating ozone. This was supposed to be impossible but she had been warned by her instructors that only the word impossible was ultimately impossible. Anything could, and would happen. If for no other reason than to vex the Poketechs life. Removing the hinge screws she carefully pried open the device, being careful not to damage its thin ribbon cable that connected the two halves. Its safety lock was jammed closed so she had to wedge the halves apart enough to reach the access port that she needed. Connecting the device to her diagnostic computer the very first thing she found was a heavy electrical load. Heavy for a Pokeball that in most cases barely consumed only a couple of microamps. This one was pulling a full amp, continuously which had to be seriously bad for the battery.


“Can you leave it Ralph” Sara asked finally. “I’m going to have to take it to my shop to open it and this looks dangerous.”


“Sure, but it’s a brand new ball. I can’t afford another one this month.”


Sara disconnected the ball from her equipment, screwing the hinge back together. “Not to worry, if it is a factory defect and I’d bet a pokeball that it is, I’m authorised to replace it free.” She pointed at the display case in front of her. “And as you can see I’m well stocked with elevens. I even have some tens and nines for flavor. Come back tomorrow morning, I should know what happened by then.” She made out and gave Ralph a receipt for his ball, then sat the thing into a stainless steel tub to await transportation to her underground workshop.


That night Sara donned her most protective equipment, setting out her tools for the job ahead. She had already written down everything that she knew or suspected about this damaged Pokeball. From what she had read it could be dangerous to open the thing. Still it was her job, it was what she had been trained for and outside of a factory laboratory Poketechs were the next best thing. That constant power drain though had her intrigued. Checking one last time for external damage she carefully unscrewed and opened the case.


Had Sara thought to consider the amount of time that had passed, then and multiplied that time by the amperage draw she would never have opened the ball. Even at a single amp draw the damaged Pokeball had managed to release a great deal of its high density batteries power over the nine days since its failure. Opening the watertight case that covered the lower half of the ball Sara’s right hand was almost instantly enveloped by liquid metals from the battery. Her scream of pain wasn’t heard because of where she was. Thus it was four hours before the wounded Pokeball Technician managed to physically drag herself upstairs to the kitchen in order to call for help, the remains of her right hand dragged beside her. What was left of her protective rubber glove was badly charred and melted, though no longer smoking.