((So, I've been trying to make at least one post each for my two
active WGs recently, but with Karl waiting for Chet to kick-start the
contest, I thought I'd write a flashback post. Which is actually the
earliest Karl story ever, as it's set before his first post:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.game ... c808afce7b

Which is exciting, I think.))

"You look weak!" said a youngster. "Come on! Let's battle!"

Karl was very nervous. He'd never had a true fight before.

"Come on, mister," said the youngster, surprising the fifteen-year-old
Karl.

"What's ... um ..." mumbled Karl.

"Send your Pokémon out!" said the youngster, releasing his own – a
Rattata.

"What's your name?" managed Karl.

"I'm Joey," said the youngster. "The guy who's going to beat you."

Karl released Iceduck, his Psyduck.

"Iceduck," he said. "Use your Scratch attack."

Iceduck obeyed – the Rattata flinched, but managed a Tail Whip.

"Now try Tail Whip," said Karl, becoming more confident.

"Tackle it, Rattata," said Joey.

The Rattata tackled Iceduck, backing off again as it was whipped by
his tail.

"Another Scratch," said Karl.

The final Scratch knocked it out.

Joey frowned. "I don't have any more Pokémon."

Karl tried to apologise, and to thank him for the battle, but the
youngster didn't want to hear it.

The next trainer Karl met was another youngster called Mikey. He had
another Rattata, as well as a Pidgey. This was useful, since Karl was
hoping to take on Falkner in Violet City. He managed to defeat the
Pidgey with Iceduck's Confusion, and his Ice Beam took care of the
Rattata.

This was going well, but Karl knew that Falkner would be much stronger
than these trainers.

Still, he also had Nomak in reserve. Nomak was a pet Farfetch'd, and
Karl's oldest and favourite Pokémon. He was much stronger than
Iceduck, which was why Karl wanted to beat any trainers on Routes 30
and 31 with Iceduck alone.

And he had a few more battles to fight along the way. There was the
bug catcher, Don – challenging after two fights in a row, despite
having only a pair of Caterpie. And then, on Route 31, was Wade –
another bug catcher – with four Pokémon.

Karl decided to let Iceduck rest for the time being, and so, wanting
to avoid further trainers, chose to take a shortcut through the
woodlands instead.

The woods were thick and dark, and it was clear that they hadn't been
designed for use as a shortcut.

And indeed, when Karl managed to get out at the other end, he didn't
have a clue where he was. He spotted a nearby building, and thought
it a better location to explore than the route to the south.

And this was how Karl found himself in the Ruins of Alph.