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Pika's Tales
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
------------------
Giovanni's Revenge
-----------------------
Written by: Joanie Rich
-----------------------
Chapter 1: A PikaPals Pizza Party
The whole PikaPals Pokémon center buzzed with kids and pokémon of all ages and sizes rushing about. I sat in a place of honor on top of a booster chair at the head of the kitchen table. Matt walked by and placed a tiny blue paper crown on my head and handed me a green plastic toy.
"It's a horn!" he laughed, pulling out a yellow one with blue stars, "Just blow in it." He played a happy little tune as he continued to hand out party favors.
I put it to my lips and blew really hard. A long "TOOOOOT!" came out, and a couple of kids and their pokémon clapped and chuckled lightheartly at my first note.
I couldn't believe I had only been the "official" PikaPals mascot for two weeks. I felt like I had always been here. Everyone had treated so well! I was fed regularly, groomed, played with, and loved. Love was something I had never received living in that awful lab. It seemed like years since I had been confined in that cramped cage, when in reality, only two weeks had passed since my escape.
Kim entered from the hall carrying plastic grocery sacks full of plates, forks, napkins, and a flat, rectangular white box. Ivy, the ivysaur, followed close behind carrying boxes of soda on her back.
"Hey, Hunter! A little help please?" she asked as she swayed a bit. Hunter dashed out of the hall and caught a hold of some sacks she barely had a grip on.
"Always here to help!" he smiled taking a few more off of Ivy as well.
"Saur, ivy!" she said, rubbing her nose against his leg, "SAUR!"
"You're welcome, Ivy!" he grinned, heading towards the kitchen.
"Hey, Kim!" a tall girl shouted, "When's the pizza coming? We're starved!"
"I called him over half an hour ago, Rita. He should be here any time now," she replied, setting the bags on the kitchen table and beginning to empty them.
"Are you sure you don't need some help?" I turned and asked them.
"No way, Pika!" Matt said, "This party's for you, pal! You don't need to work."
Kids gathered in the kitchen and helped Kim pass out plates and the like. Some set out coolers full of soda pop, and two girls set the white box on the table. I hopped onto the tabletop and crept towards it.
Matt picked me up just before I reached it, "Hey! Pika! Can't you wait?"
"Ah..." I really wanted to see what was inside. I couldn't help being curious.
"You only have a few more minutes to wait buddy," he set me back in my seat.
My ears perked up as I heard a noise above the chattering commotion. It was the doorbell! "Pizza's here!" I called.
Hunter immediately responded to the word 'pizza', "Cool! Thanks Pika!" he saluted as he dropped what he was doing and hurried to answer it. I watched as he headed towards the door and opened it. My heart jumped and my fur tingled, it couldn't be. Standing in the doorway was someone I never hoped to see again, or at least I thought it was him.
"Hello, boy," the man said, straightening his lab coat, "May I speak to the person in charge of this ...er... Center."
"Sure...Hold on a sec..." Hunter looked him over suspiciously, "HEY KIM!" he shouted down the hall. This startled the man, whose thick glasses almost fell off. He adjusted them and stood, his eyes searching everything suspiciously.
Kim came running to the front door, "What is it, Hunter?" she asked. Then she saw the stranger, "Oh, Hello, sir. Please excuse the noise, we're having a party tonight. I'm sorry if we have-"
"No," the man interrupted, "I'm not here to complain..."
"Then what do you want?" Hunter snapped.
"Hunter! Excuse him sir," Kim shooed Hunter towards the kitchen, "What can I do for you?"
"Yes... I'm looking for a pikachu..." he started, looking down the hall. His eyes met mine in a cold stare, "But not just any pikachu," he finished.
I couldn't move - it was him! Professor Scrub, the scientist who had held me prisoner, was standing in the door. And he was looking for me. I wanted to duck and hide under the table, or blend into the crowd.
"Who are you?" Kim asked.
"Professor Scrub," he flashed an ID badge, "I've been searching for my pokémon for some time now."
Kim turned and looked back at me, and saw my petrified face. I shook my head and looked at her, trying to tell her to make him go away. I could tell that she understood, and she turned back to him, "Mr. Scrub, we have plenty of pikachu here, but none like-"
"Now listen here-" he interrupted again, as he read Kim's name tag, "-Kim. I've heard about your so-called mascot, the talking pikachu. I don't have time to go into much detail, but I have come to retrieve him."
"There must be some mistake," she started as he pushed past her and entered the center, "Stop! He belongs to us!" she went after him as he briskly walked towards me.
My feet wouldn't move, my whole body went numb. His eyes held me in a stare as he headed straight for me. All of the commotion in the center began to stop as this chain of events began. Matt and Hunter suddenly blocked his way.
"Out of my way," he said forcefully, adjusting his glasses, "I don't want to make trouble."
"No, Kim's right. Pika belongs to us now," Matt said, staring him down.
"That is where you are wrong. He still belongs to me! And I have the papers to prove it!" he grinned and laughed, pulling an envelope out of his pocket.
Hunter snatched it and began to read through it, "Aw, man... he's right."
"But..." Kim started, "He's living with us now..."
"Don't worry, I won't prosecute you," Scrub turned around, "That is, as long as you give him up."
"Wait!" Matt retaliated, "We have pictures and medical records that prove you abused him; plus Pika can give his testimony, if needed."
Scurb began to back off, "What? There's no way," he started, trying to think of a way to get over to Pika. He knew it would be difficult for him to win in a court with that kind of proof backing them up. Which could lead to further investigations into Team Rocket Enterprises - that could not be good for Giovanni - which would mean his job. The police could shut them down. No, he thought, he'd have to resort to something sneakier, something illegal. He needed more time to plan his scheme.
Kim joined her two friends and blocked Scrub's way.
"Hey Kim," Matt whispered. She turned to face him, "What if one of us were to adopt him and keep him as our pokémon? Then for sure Scrub can't take him!"
"Great idea!" Hunter whispered excitedly, "I can't wait to have another pokémon!"
"We should let Pika decide that!" Kim scolded him, "Hunter, you and I will distract Scrub. Matt, you take Pika to the pokémon center and get an adoption certificate. I wish I would've remembered to make more copies yesterday."
Matt and Hunter agreed to this plan as Kim turned to confront Scrub. But, she then discovered that he had left!
"Where did he go?" Matt asked me, "Did you see Pika?"
"He went out the door..." I sighed and sunk in my booster seat. I began to cry.
"What's the matter, Pika?" He picked me up, "Don't cry. We're here to protect you, remember?"
"I don't think I could stand being in that... cage again..." I said, my body shaking, the memories of my life there renewing in my mind.
"We won't let that creep take you, Pika... No matter what," he had a firm look on his face, one that meant he wouldn't be pushed around. I certainly hoped he was right. I loved PikaPals, and I never wanted to return to the lab.
Hunter picked up a horn and tooted it, "Let's not let that jerk ruin our party! Come on people! Let's party!"
"Hunter, I don't," Kim started, looking at me.
"It's alright," I said, "Let's have some fun," I smiled.
"Okay, but first thing tomorrow, we're getting you registered to a trainer. It's the only way to keep Scrub from taking you away."
"But, I-"
"I know this is sudden, Pika," Kim said reassuringly, "But you have all of tonight to decide who you want to be your trainer. There's tons of great people to choose from."
"Yeah, almost too many," I sighed. I had finally gotten used to being the center's pokémon. If I was ever having an argument with someone, I simply left them alone and hung around someone else. I always had someone to play with or talk to. I didn't know what would happen if I had only one trainer. What if I chose the wrong one? What if we didn't get along or if they ignored me? Why couldn't things be just as they were now?
Later, I finally calmed down some and began to enjoy myself. I had never had pizza before, and found it to be extremely delicious; especially since Kim had ordered special pizzas just for us pokémon. Kim also revealed the contents of the white box: a special cake!
The half vanilla-half chocolate sheet cake was covered in blue icing and had a picture of a pikachu on it. Red icing spelled out, "WELCOME PIKA! PIKAPALS MASCOT" I still couldn't believe they had a party just for me.
At the end of the night, I was no closer to deciding. I had made so many good friends, it was too hard to choose - though I had narrowed it down to three: Kim, Hunter, and Matt - the three who rescued me and welcomed me into their center and their hearts.
I figured I would sleep on it and see how I felt in the morning. I wiggled into my warm bed next to the fireplace, in the commons room. I watched the fire, and tried to go to sleep, but couldn't help feeling that Scrub was still searching for a way on how to get me back.
I couldn't sleep all that night. Visions of Prof. Scrub haunted my thoughts. I was too afraid of having nightmares, so I had trouble sleeping even for a few minutes. I tossed and turned and eventually just gave up. I crawled out of my bed and sat on the back of the couch across from the fireplace. I settled into the soft fleece blanket that was draped over it.
Turning my head, I stared out the windows of the commons room out into the backyard. Every moving shadow made me jump. I couldn't look out there any longer, fearing I'd have a living nightmare; but I then looked up into the vast starry sky. A new feeling came over me. I felt protected, sheltered from all the things in the world that could hurt me. I never wanted to leave this wonderful center. I returned my tiring gaze to the warming fire, and finally slipped into a peaceful sleep.
END of Chapter One
Pika's Tales
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
------------------
Giovanni's Revenge
-----------------------
Written by: Joanie Rich
-----------------------
Chapter 1: A PikaPals Pizza Party
The whole PikaPals Pokémon center buzzed with kids and pokémon of all ages and sizes rushing about. I sat in a place of honor on top of a booster chair at the head of the kitchen table. Matt walked by and placed a tiny blue paper crown on my head and handed me a green plastic toy.
"It's a horn!" he laughed, pulling out a yellow one with blue stars, "Just blow in it." He played a happy little tune as he continued to hand out party favors.
I put it to my lips and blew really hard. A long "TOOOOOT!" came out, and a couple of kids and their pokémon clapped and chuckled lightheartly at my first note.
I couldn't believe I had only been the "official" PikaPals mascot for two weeks. I felt like I had always been here. Everyone had treated so well! I was fed regularly, groomed, played with, and loved. Love was something I had never received living in that awful lab. It seemed like years since I had been confined in that cramped cage, when in reality, only two weeks had passed since my escape.
Kim entered from the hall carrying plastic grocery sacks full of plates, forks, napkins, and a flat, rectangular white box. Ivy, the ivysaur, followed close behind carrying boxes of soda on her back.
"Hey, Hunter! A little help please?" she asked as she swayed a bit. Hunter dashed out of the hall and caught a hold of some sacks she barely had a grip on.
"Always here to help!" he smiled taking a few more off of Ivy as well.
"Saur, ivy!" she said, rubbing her nose against his leg, "SAUR!"
"You're welcome, Ivy!" he grinned, heading towards the kitchen.
"Hey, Kim!" a tall girl shouted, "When's the pizza coming? We're starved!"
"I called him over half an hour ago, Rita. He should be here any time now," she replied, setting the bags on the kitchen table and beginning to empty them.
"Are you sure you don't need some help?" I turned and asked them.
"No way, Pika!" Matt said, "This party's for you, pal! You don't need to work."
Kids gathered in the kitchen and helped Kim pass out plates and the like. Some set out coolers full of soda pop, and two girls set the white box on the table. I hopped onto the tabletop and crept towards it.
Matt picked me up just before I reached it, "Hey! Pika! Can't you wait?"
"Ah..." I really wanted to see what was inside. I couldn't help being curious.
"You only have a few more minutes to wait buddy," he set me back in my seat.
My ears perked up as I heard a noise above the chattering commotion. It was the doorbell! "Pizza's here!" I called.
Hunter immediately responded to the word 'pizza', "Cool! Thanks Pika!" he saluted as he dropped what he was doing and hurried to answer it. I watched as he headed towards the door and opened it. My heart jumped and my fur tingled, it couldn't be. Standing in the doorway was someone I never hoped to see again, or at least I thought it was him.
"Hello, boy," the man said, straightening his lab coat, "May I speak to the person in charge of this ...er... Center."
"Sure...Hold on a sec..." Hunter looked him over suspiciously, "HEY KIM!" he shouted down the hall. This startled the man, whose thick glasses almost fell off. He adjusted them and stood, his eyes searching everything suspiciously.
Kim came running to the front door, "What is it, Hunter?" she asked. Then she saw the stranger, "Oh, Hello, sir. Please excuse the noise, we're having a party tonight. I'm sorry if we have-"
"No," the man interrupted, "I'm not here to complain..."
"Then what do you want?" Hunter snapped.
"Hunter! Excuse him sir," Kim shooed Hunter towards the kitchen, "What can I do for you?"
"Yes... I'm looking for a pikachu..." he started, looking down the hall. His eyes met mine in a cold stare, "But not just any pikachu," he finished.
I couldn't move - it was him! Professor Scrub, the scientist who had held me prisoner, was standing in the door. And he was looking for me. I wanted to duck and hide under the table, or blend into the crowd.
"Who are you?" Kim asked.
"Professor Scrub," he flashed an ID badge, "I've been searching for my pokémon for some time now."
Kim turned and looked back at me, and saw my petrified face. I shook my head and looked at her, trying to tell her to make him go away. I could tell that she understood, and she turned back to him, "Mr. Scrub, we have plenty of pikachu here, but none like-"
"Now listen here-" he interrupted again, as he read Kim's name tag, "-Kim. I've heard about your so-called mascot, the talking pikachu. I don't have time to go into much detail, but I have come to retrieve him."
"There must be some mistake," she started as he pushed past her and entered the center, "Stop! He belongs to us!" she went after him as he briskly walked towards me.
My feet wouldn't move, my whole body went numb. His eyes held me in a stare as he headed straight for me. All of the commotion in the center began to stop as this chain of events began. Matt and Hunter suddenly blocked his way.
"Out of my way," he said forcefully, adjusting his glasses, "I don't want to make trouble."
"No, Kim's right. Pika belongs to us now," Matt said, staring him down.
"That is where you are wrong. He still belongs to me! And I have the papers to prove it!" he grinned and laughed, pulling an envelope out of his pocket.
Hunter snatched it and began to read through it, "Aw, man... he's right."
"But..." Kim started, "He's living with us now..."
"Don't worry, I won't prosecute you," Scrub turned around, "That is, as long as you give him up."
"Wait!" Matt retaliated, "We have pictures and medical records that prove you abused him; plus Pika can give his testimony, if needed."
Scurb began to back off, "What? There's no way," he started, trying to think of a way to get over to Pika. He knew it would be difficult for him to win in a court with that kind of proof backing them up. Which could lead to further investigations into Team Rocket Enterprises - that could not be good for Giovanni - which would mean his job. The police could shut them down. No, he thought, he'd have to resort to something sneakier, something illegal. He needed more time to plan his scheme.
Kim joined her two friends and blocked Scrub's way.
"Hey Kim," Matt whispered. She turned to face him, "What if one of us were to adopt him and keep him as our pokémon? Then for sure Scrub can't take him!"
"Great idea!" Hunter whispered excitedly, "I can't wait to have another pokémon!"
"We should let Pika decide that!" Kim scolded him, "Hunter, you and I will distract Scrub. Matt, you take Pika to the pokémon center and get an adoption certificate. I wish I would've remembered to make more copies yesterday."
Matt and Hunter agreed to this plan as Kim turned to confront Scrub. But, she then discovered that he had left!
"Where did he go?" Matt asked me, "Did you see Pika?"
"He went out the door..." I sighed and sunk in my booster seat. I began to cry.
"What's the matter, Pika?" He picked me up, "Don't cry. We're here to protect you, remember?"
"I don't think I could stand being in that... cage again..." I said, my body shaking, the memories of my life there renewing in my mind.
"We won't let that creep take you, Pika... No matter what," he had a firm look on his face, one that meant he wouldn't be pushed around. I certainly hoped he was right. I loved PikaPals, and I never wanted to return to the lab.
Hunter picked up a horn and tooted it, "Let's not let that jerk ruin our party! Come on people! Let's party!"
"Hunter, I don't," Kim started, looking at me.
"It's alright," I said, "Let's have some fun," I smiled.
"Okay, but first thing tomorrow, we're getting you registered to a trainer. It's the only way to keep Scrub from taking you away."
"But, I-"
"I know this is sudden, Pika," Kim said reassuringly, "But you have all of tonight to decide who you want to be your trainer. There's tons of great people to choose from."
"Yeah, almost too many," I sighed. I had finally gotten used to being the center's pokémon. If I was ever having an argument with someone, I simply left them alone and hung around someone else. I always had someone to play with or talk to. I didn't know what would happen if I had only one trainer. What if I chose the wrong one? What if we didn't get along or if they ignored me? Why couldn't things be just as they were now?
Later, I finally calmed down some and began to enjoy myself. I had never had pizza before, and found it to be extremely delicious; especially since Kim had ordered special pizzas just for us pokémon. Kim also revealed the contents of the white box: a special cake!
The half vanilla-half chocolate sheet cake was covered in blue icing and had a picture of a pikachu on it. Red icing spelled out, "WELCOME PIKA! PIKAPALS MASCOT" I still couldn't believe they had a party just for me.
At the end of the night, I was no closer to deciding. I had made so many good friends, it was too hard to choose - though I had narrowed it down to three: Kim, Hunter, and Matt - the three who rescued me and welcomed me into their center and their hearts.
I figured I would sleep on it and see how I felt in the morning. I wiggled into my warm bed next to the fireplace, in the commons room. I watched the fire, and tried to go to sleep, but couldn't help feeling that Scrub was still searching for a way on how to get me back.
I couldn't sleep all that night. Visions of Prof. Scrub haunted my thoughts. I was too afraid of having nightmares, so I had trouble sleeping even for a few minutes. I tossed and turned and eventually just gave up. I crawled out of my bed and sat on the back of the couch across from the fireplace. I settled into the soft fleece blanket that was draped over it.
Turning my head, I stared out the windows of the commons room out into the backyard. Every moving shadow made me jump. I couldn't look out there any longer, fearing I'd have a living nightmare; but I then looked up into the vast starry sky. A new feeling came over me. I felt protected, sheltered from all the things in the world that could hurt me. I never wanted to leave this wonderful center. I returned my tiring gaze to the warming fire, and finally slipped into a peaceful sleep.
END of Chapter One