Attention: Since English is not my mothertongue you might find some spelling mistakes or syntax errors. I apologize in advance. My mothertongue is Swiss-German so I normally imagine a sentence in German and try to translate it as well as possible into English, sometimes there is a lack of vocabulary or I don't find a match or the appropriate idiom but I want to improve my English and become a better writer. Another thing I want to make clear is that I use „..." to introduce direct speech! „ are not commas but the German quotation marks, just to avoid confusion.
This story is a GIFT for my good friend ASTARDUSTSKY. I hope you like it.
!NOTE TO Fei (Guest) WHO LEFT AN AWESOME REVIEW: I COUDLN'T REPLY TO YOUR REVIEW, BUT YES, GO AHEAD AND TRANSLATE SOME OF MY STORIES INTO RUSSIAN, IT WOULD BE AN HONOUR! THANKS FOR LIKING MY STORIES. JUST ADD THE LINK TO THE ORIGINAL STORY, PLEASE!
Trouble in the Big Top
Chapter 1:
The circus used to be a superb and most visited attraction of Solaceon Town. Many people came from far and wide to enjoy a short break and amuse themselves on roller coasters, merry-go-rounds and at shooting galleries. Little children lined up for cotton candy, chocolate fruits and other dainties. Everyone was cheerful and high-spirited. The Pokémon talent show was the eagerly expected highlight of the day. Vouchers sold like hotcakes. The guests squeezed into the large big top in the middle of the fairground. Mrs. Watson and her well trained companions, Chimchar and Prinplup were the absolute darlings of the public. Watson was a young blond lady with sky blue eyes and a sweet smile on her face. She knew how to entertain her spectators and had always an ace up her sleeve. Watson fascinated the audience with stunning tricks and colorful shows which were sold out almost every day.
Jessie, James and Meowth had gotten wind of the circus and decided to pay the festivity a visit. They were starving and nothing but skin and bones, therefore it remained urgent to hope that someone would drop a hot dog, a piece of cake or some freshly prepared sugar strawberries with cherry sirup ond top. Indeed, it didn't take them long to find some remains in a nearby garbage can. Jessie jumped into the bin and rummaged around to see if she could fish something edible out of the container. James was on the look-out for a coin or banknote someone had accidentally dropped, but he drew a blank.
„I got something!", Jessie shouted and cleaved her way out of the dirty and smudgy bin. She presented her team mates a spit with leftovers from bananas and apples. James was about to share them equally when Meowth reached for the fruits and snapped them up. He scoffed the remains and licked his mouth greedily.
„Dad was good! Get ya head into da garbage can and see if dere is someding to drink for me, I'm dirsty", the cat-Pokémon said. Jessie clenched her fists. She stamped her feet, ready to go for Meowth's throat.
„You're not the only one who's down on your uppers, you hoggish and selfish cat", she gave him a pinch. James had to keep his friends apart, they were on the brink of being at loggerheads with each other. He had to admit that the atmosphere in their team was anything but pleasant and bearable recently, but that was because they never had a shred of luck. Their missions were known to fail and they were living and roaming around under the worst conditions imaginable.
„James, did you bring our savings?", Jessie wanted to know. James took out a pouch and placed it on the counter of the can throwing stall.
„I don't think it's wise to use it, we need to buy supplies for our new Mecha, don't forget that we promised the boss to capture Pokémon in the Sinnoh Region and until now, we only got two Kricketots and a Zubat, he won't be pleased with it", James demurred.
„Fiddlesticks! You know exactly how unsuccessful we are, it doesn't matter how pimped out our Mecha is going to be. We are and reamin losers, so why don't we spend our money and treat ourselves to an enjoyable afternoon at the fair?", she suggested. James and Meowth exchanged meaningful looks. Jessie wasn't a scrimper, she liked to flog their last few coins without being considerate of her team mates, but, as so often, they didn't dare to contradict her and agreed on her proposal.
Jessie gazed upwards, following the giant roller coaster's ride. The waggons weaved their ways through two large towers rising up to the sky. The people screamed at full power, either out of joy or fear. Some of them stretched their arms out, laughing and exulting like crazy. Jessie's eyes widened. She had always been a sucker for adrenaline rushes. She enjoyed the danger, the loss of control, the zero gravity and the instant buzz.
„Let's take a ride, guys! This sure looks nerve-racking!", she exclaimed, running to the queue. She knew exactly how to bypass the long line. A nudge here, a nudge there and she would be sitting in a tiny wagon in no time. James blanched. He had a queasy feeling in his stomach. Observing the visitors hanging loosely or simply secured to a thin cord made him already feel qualmishly.
„Jess", he pulled his best friend's arm. „I, I don't want to take a ride, I'll get sick", he complained, drops of sweat oozing from his forehead as the roller coaster made a complete loop over.
„That's not true. You're just afraid that you might get sick", Jessie countered.
„Yeah, so where's the deal?", James absented himself from the queue.
„You're such a scaredy-cat, look at ya, wetting yous pants", Meowth remarked snappishly.
James saw an opportunity to pay Meowth back in kind and threw him into a cream cake that people used to aim for the jester, sitting on an unstable stool which threatened to catapult him into the icy water. Meowth wiped away the glaze and dried off his face.
„Never mind! I was just joking", he replied, noticing that James felt offended.
„Okay, chicken. What would you like to do?", Jessie wondered. James looked around. He spotted a Roselia, a Wooper and a Sneasel. They built a train around a fancifully decorated magic garden. A lovely piano melody was played. The train moved slowly and carefully, steamed and smoked with a light sweet aroma.
„Why don't we give this thing a try", James proposed. Jessie cocked an eyebrow she examined the ride the lavender-haired man had chosen.
„This is a children's attraction, you fool. How are we supposed to fit into those small wagons. Can't you read the sign? It says for kids up to ten years. Not even Ash would ride this roundabout", she shook her head incomprehensibly. James was such a coward, she wondered how he could have possibly passed the entrance examination for Team Rocket.
„Why don't we try our luck at the Bust-a-Balloon stall? There are boards with numbers behind each board. If the punter busts the balloon he wins the prize corresponding to the number behind. That could be fun. Don't you want to win a prize for me, James?", Jessie ogled jokingly at her friend. James simply shrug his shoulders and walked up to the owner of the stall. The man had short brown hair and a white headband. He looked familiar and James tried to remember where he had seen him before.
„Welcome, welcome! Are you a gambler? Would you like to win a soft toy for your lady?", the man asked, mistaking Jessie and James for a couple. James reached for the rifle and aimed at the balloons. He used to be a talented gunman as a kid. His father would take him to go hunting in the nearby forests. James took an accurate aim and hit all of the five differently colored balloons in front of him. The owner of the stall worked himself up, but he grinned and bore it, after all he had to shed some useless merchandise.
„That was really good", he faked a smile and began to rummage around a wooden box.
He pulled out a plush Magikarp and handed it over to Jessie. They said good bye and wanted to leave the stall when the man called James back. The lavender-haired man approached the owner.
„Hey! Are you interested in buying a legendary and extremly rare Pokémon? It will fulfill your greatest wishes, I promise", he whispered, so that only James was able to hear him.
The Team Rocket-agent listened attentively. The man took out a Pokéball and threw it into a basin filled with water. A Magikarp appeared, helplessly paddling with his fins.
The penny had dropped. James rememberd this guy, it was the old hustler who had sold him the Magikarp that couldn't swim.
„It's you", James yelled, seizing the seller by his collar. „You owe me a lot of money", he was red with anger. The owner of the stall swallowed hard, broke away, bundled his possessions and decamped.
„Hey! Where's my money?", James windmilled his arms. Jessie and Meowth observed him from a safe distance.
„Do yous dink he got another spell?", Meowth asked, Jessie sighed deeply. They didn't notice that someone approached them from behind.
„Hello", a female voice said. Jessie and Meowth jumped up. They turned around and stared into two shiny ice blue eyes. The lady in front of them was beautiful and sublime. She wore short dungarees and an ecru t-shirt. James consorted with his team mates.
„My name is Grazyna Watson, I own this circus. You might have heard about the popular Pokémon talent show", she introduced herself.
„So?", Jessie answered rather unimpressed.
„I took notice of your talking Meowth, he sure could be the star of the show", Grazyna said. Jessie and James burst out laughing in unison.
„What do you want with this fleabag? He isn't useful for anything", Jessie replied disdainfully, pointing at the cat-Pokémon. Grazyna frowned.
„I also noticed that you dump on him. You constantly pick on him, you offend him! That's unfair, look at this cute little face and those shinging blue eyes, what a lovely Meowthy-Meowth", Grazyna picked Meowth up and enfolded him in her arms. Meowth took pleasure in her company. He enjoyed the compliments and attention which he never received from his team mates.
„I'd say you leave him with me. He gets his own tent with a cosy basket, warm blankets, food and drinks and his own assistants. He'll perform on stage, will be admired by the fans and countless spectators. He could be the new highlight of this circus. I mean, how many talking Pokémon have you met before? His gig will sure be a box-office hit. His ability to speak makes him precious and incomparable. So, what do you say Meowth? How does that sound?", Grazyna looked into the Pokémon's eyes. Meowth was speechless. For the first time in his life, there was someone who valued and appreciated his capabilites. She wanted to foster and encourage him to use his skills for entertainment purposes.
„I'm in", Meowth had taken a decision. He would leave Team Rocket and work alongside Grazyna, starring as her new attraction and inspiring muse. Jessie and James wouldn't miss him anyways. They were always busy putting the blame on him as soon as their plans for cathing Pikachu threatened to fail. They used to hold him responsible for every defeat and unsuccessful attempt at getting in the twerps way and deprive them of their Pokémon. Meowth had absoluetly no reason to stay. All he ever wanted was someone who cared for him, a true friend , someone who relished his ideas and proposals, someone who supported his plans and dreams. Garzyna seemed to be the right person.
„Hey! What about us, Meowth? Are you really going to leave the team? What if were also working for the circus? We could stay together", James intervened. He never liked it when Jessie and Meowth felt the urge to go seperate ways and leave him behind. They had done so in the past. Meowth wanted to work at a ramen shop and Jessie had nursed the idea of becoming a famous Pokémon-coordinator. Both had given their new lives up to rescue James, that's when he was sure that he wasn't all the same to Jessie and Meowth, but now, it seemed that Meowth was on the hop to clear out a second time.
„What do yous want to be? Two ugly clowns?", Meowth grinned at his former colleagues. Jessie felt flushed, she was boiling with rage. She clenched her fists, ready to teach this talkative cat a lesson, but James retained her by laying a hand on her shoulder.
„Stop it, Jess! There's no need to be angry at him. I think he made his decision. We should leave now", James strove past Meowth without a second glance. Jessie was slightly irritated. Normally, it was James who tried everything to maintain his team, but the lavender-haired man seemed to have surrendered his painstaking efforts to keep their trio together. He walked away and Jessie followed suit. Meowth looked after his team mates until they disappeared behind the giant roller coaster. They didn't even say goodbye, but he didn't mind, it was just as expected. They couldn't care less about Meowth and his feelings and he was sure that Grazyna wasn't kneaded from the same dough.
The blond woman took Meowth by his paw and accompanied him to a tent at the end of the fairground. Meowth entered the big top and was a little bit surprised at firt. The room was void, no basket and no furniture at all. It was a yawning emptiness, except for a cage in the middle of the tent. Grazyna pushed him hard, causing Meowth to fall on the floor and roll right into the cage. She locked the mesh door and hid the key in her chest pocket. Meowth reached for the railings.
„Hey! Was dad? I thought I were yous partner", Meowth rattled at the stanchions. Grazyna tipped her head backwards and cackled.
„Haha, my partner. Don't make me laugh! I needed a new stooge for my fantastic and mind-blowing show and I thought that you would be the perfect victim, just like you used to be the bogeyman for your colleagues", she grasped at a whip that was hanging from a hook and lashed.
„You're going to follow my every order and don't dare to answer back! Should you ever try to sabotage my plans, you will count the cost, you'll never see daylight again. It's too sad that your team mates didn't bid adieu to you, I'm not sure, if they're going to see you again. You belong to me now, you're my Pokémon, I can do with you whatever I want. You should play along and obey me, or you're going to suffer terribly, I promise. Make sure you're ready for tonight's show. I want a full house. Can you ride an unicycle or walk on a tightrope?", she asked. Meowth was paralyzed with terror. He shook his head.
„Argh! Do you have any talents or are you just an unbearable chatterbox?", she demanded. Meowth swallowed hard.
„Oh, I don't care, just think of something that attracts many people and don't disappoint me, okay?", she kneeled down in front of Meowth and held the whip towards the cat-Pokémon.
Grazyna threw a plastic sheet over the cage and left the tent without further words.
Meowth had sleepwalked into a major disaster. Why didn't he stay with Team Rocket? Sure, his team mates didn't treat him well and he was often bullied and tormented by their bad moods, but it was still better than being trapped in a way too small cage, shrouded in darkness and shut off from the outside world.
„Jessie? Jimmy?", he silently whispered.