Shadow's Apprentice (Inversion: Current)
by schway strider
Bleacher Bums
Sherman Oaks, CA
Sundae, January 14, 2001
Only 8 Players!

Sidenote: I haven't sent in a deck for awhile because I'be been to busy to
take notes or remeber the battles.

Dan, owner and leader of Bleacher Bums, is retiring... to a "real" job. His
lease ended, so a Magic player there bought the store and everything that
goes along with it. I took advantage of Dan's closing- everything, entire
store, half price. However, I knew the only Neo box he had would go fast, so
I bought three days before (Thursdae). I noticed some schway cards. My
favorite... the "Scyther Replacement," the "Mewtwo Slayer," the "Wigglytuff
Ain't Tough No More"- Sneasel. I only got one, but with two dark energy,
that was enough. On Saturdae, I traded all I could to get two more Sneasel
and two more Darkness Energy. I got through 3/4 of what I needed: 1 Sneasel,
2 Darkness Energy. "Niko" owes me a favor, so I'll get the Sneasel he's got.
Still, I need those Rocket's Zapdos... at least Niki will help. This is the
current version of Shadow's Apprentice:

8 Pokemon
---------
2 Sneasel
3 Ditto
3 Scyther

17 Energy
---------
4 Darkness Energy
4 DCE
2 Recycle
3 Full Heal
5 Grass

34 Trainers
-----------
2 Ecogym
1 No Removal Gym
3 Oak
3 GOW
3 CompuSearch
3 Gold Berry
3 Challenge
3 Mary
3 RSA
2 Energy Charge
3 NGR
2 Switch
3 Scoop Up

It's not perfect.. yet. The people I've exposed the SUN to know what it is.

Before the Hype
---------------
I was ready for all the hype todae. It was crowded. Dan sold almost
everything in the store. I first bought a black Magic shirt with the
"Mountain Mana" symbol on the front for $5, then got a skate helmet for only
$6! Oops, forgot to put my stuff on the table. Nick's family bought a lot of
food from Quizno's. I had to shove all my stuff in a sixteenth of table
space. I walked back over and saw Kel, who couldn't stay. I bought some
damage counters, and shuffled my deck. Ian was late, so I looked at
everything else. I bought a four card glass holder and put in my Lugia,
Pichu, Jigglypuff and Meganium. I then realized it was missing a screw, so I
bought seperate holders for them. Ian finally came in (an hour late), so I
played him.

Match 1 vs.
Ian w/ mono-Grass
-----------------
This deck could've been quick, but I wanted to give him a chance. I
Mulliganned, then got a Sneasel and Scyther. I used Challenge. He
immediately accepted (he had only a Koga's Ekans) and I loaded up my bench
with three Ditto and a Scyther (shoot, my other Sneasel and a Dark Energy
were Prizes). I attached two Gold Berries to a Ditto and Sneasel. I Oaked,
got two Mary, used one, getting a Dark Energy. I attached it to Sneasel,
used the other Mary. I got a Recycle Energy and a Scoop Up. I Shuffled both
back into my deck. I used the other Mary, and got Dark Energy and a Grass
Energy. I used Fury Swipes. I only flipped a heads. Oh well, twenty damage.
His bench had a Scyther, Pinsir and Ditto, and some other little 'Mon. He
attached an energy to the Ekans and used Fast-Acting Poison. It failed, I
took 10 damage. I drew another Recycle Energy. I attached the next Dark
Energy and Oaked. I drew three DCE and a Scyther. Oh yeah. I used beat up,
and flipped ONE heads (odds schmodds, I want my 160 damage!). He sent up his
Scyther and attached a Grass Energy to him. He used Double Gust. He chose my
Scyther, I chose his Pinsir. He passed. I drew an RSA and used it. A potion,
a Super Potion, and a Switch. Bye bye Switch. I used Beat Up. Again, 1
HEADS!?! He attached a DCE to Scyther and used Potion. I drew a Grass
Energy, attached another DCE to the same Ditto. I then realized I had
another Gold Berry. I attached it to a different Ditto. I used Beat Up. FIVE
HEADS!?! (The reason I don't change the Coin is because I never lost using
it). Pinsir was gone. I got a Full Heal Energy. He sent out Scyther,
attached an energy to his Koga's Ekans and used Swords Dance. I drew an
Ecogym and played it and played a DCE on Ditto. I used Beat Up again. No
heads (I was used to it by then). He drew, attached, and used slash. Sneasel
was gone, so I sent up Ditto. I drew yet another Recycle Energy. I attached
the Recycle to the last Ditto, and GOWed for his Koga's Ekans. I used
Fast-Acting Poison. It worked (finally)! Ian drew, attached to a bench
Pokemon, then Evolved. He used Posion Buildup. I drew, and passed. He drew,
attached a Grass Energy to Koga's Arbok, and used Poison Power. I took 10
because of poison, then discarded Gold Berry. I drew, used RSA, to find
nothing, and used Posion Power. He drew, attached and attacked. My Ditto was
gone. I sent up my other Ditto and used Poison Power. He KOed after the
posion. I don't remember much of what happened after that, except Ditto on
Ditto happened after awhile. I eventually got my Dark Energy and Sneasel
back into my deck, and used Beat for the win.

Between Matches
---------------
I bought a FLIP sweatshirt for $15 and changed into it and my new Mountain
Mana shirt. I then ate parts of a Meatball Sub, and battled Max. He though
Sneasel had a weakness to Psychic (Max normally plays a Damage Swap), but I
showed him it, and he switched it with a fire deck.

Match 2 vs.
Max w/ mono-Fire
----------------
Oh shoot- lost my note pad. I remember I won- does that count for anything?
Ditto helped take down his Charmeleon and Sneasel didn't come out until late
game.

Between Matches
---------------
Most Pokemon players were gone, but Jonah put together a quick deck (he
normally plays MLB Showdown).

Match 3 vs.
Jonah w/ Fire- Electric- Steel
------------------------------
It was Sneasl and Scyther againts two Lt. Surge's Pikachu. I Challenged! and
kept going with Beat Up. I fianlly lost to an Electabuzz, and GOWed for a
Skarmory. I sent out Ditto and used his second attack twice for the win.

Aftermath
---------
I bought some leftover stuff for cheap and left. The shipment of Year2 isn't
in yet, so I'm hoping it will be next week.

schway strider
schwaystrider@hotmail.com
"Anyone with telekinesis, raise my hand."
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