The Wanderer

Chapter 11

I am still mildly irked about Mew's little escape plan to save the Luxray Jinx, but it is nothing to complain about now. We have traveled far in such a short time and have made it out of the Sinnoh region. We now are residing in the Hoenn region, but are nearing departure from here too. Kanto is our destination and if we travel at this rate, we will easily get there in practically little to no time. But if I know life so far, it's never this easy for this long. Especially now that Jinx's bloodthirsty trainer is out to retrieve his Pokémon. On the topic of Jinx, I believe that this newest member is BY FAR the best I've met. The female is smart, has good instincts, and is very…intuitive. She seems to possess a manner that is very unique to her own, but I am also sure that her past trainer has done some mental damage to her. I also get the feeling that she is still hiding stuff from us. Her mentality doesn't seem to focus purely on one trainer…but I might be mistaken. But now I rest my case here with the fact that this trip may actually be…okay?

"Here we are! Odale Town!" Mew piped.

As I turned and focused my sights on the remote town, it did not appeal to me as much as I thought it would. The town was a tad above gray, small houses containing small families with a rather run-down Pokémon Center and complete with a shabby Pokémon Mart. A few trees spawned from the dry soil providing the town with its only source of greenery. Compared to the other destinations we've encountered, this was by far the most boring.

"I don't know Mew…" Jinx responded hesitantly. Apparently I'm not the only one with doubts. "This place doesn't seem all that great…"

"Nonsense you watchits! Everyplace has its great wonders." Jack defended eagerly "So why are we stopping here snowflake?"

"Because…this is the perfect place to bond!"

Did I hear correctly? Did the disguised pink one say…bond? Normally I would refuse without hesitation; I do not want to keep Jack waiting to get home. I knew, however, that I would be immediately out-voted.

"Mew, you cannot honestly believe…" I started.

"Your right! I can't honestly believe that I haven't done this sooner! Today, we will be…uhh…bonded!" Mew stated happily.

"I have no problem with that, Mew." Jinx shrugged. "Just nothing too radical, okay?"

"That's what I'm talking about mate! Nothing says family like quality bonding time!" Jack exclaimed exuberantly, spinning on his long blue tail.

I shook my head and sighed, "I hate to rain on your little "idea", but must I remind you that we are responsible for guiding Jack back to his rightful territory?"

"I don't mind mate!" Jack replied, crushing my excuse. "Sometimes you just gotta take scenic route of…WHAT IS THAT!?"

Everyone glanced around to see just what Jack saw, but not a single object was out of place nor was nothing extraordinarily out of place.

"Jack, what are you…?"

"I like potatoes. Let's get on with the bonding, shall we?" Jack suggested, not skipping a beat.

Everyone stood in their places, dumfounded about what just happened. Confused expressions were shared until Jack asked why everyone was acting different.

"Do you not remember what you had just said?" I started.

"You yelled out "What was that?"." Jinx continued.

"Then said that you liked potatoes." Mew finished.

Jack looked at us and just smiled. "Mates, you're all crazy. I didn't say any of that." Mew fumed up and protested, "But you just did!"

I started to cry inside as the two began to bicker and argue as I figured that Jack was not completely stable minded. Most of the time, yes, but the cracks of insanity were showing quite clearly. Any attempt to reason about his outburst will simply be doomed to fail.

"Guys, GUYS!" Jinx intruded, separating Mew from Jack. She is a smart one and rather brave to intrude between those two fighters. "There is no need to be at each other's necks. Now, are we going to bond or not?"

"Aye mate, I'll bond with loony over there." Jack huffed playfully. Mew returned his comment with a stuck-out tongue.

"Alright…let's get this over with…" I grumbled reluctantly, giving off an I-really-don't-want-to-do-this vibe.

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Mew's Bonding Technique #1-Trust

"Okay guys, here is the first order of business." Mew began to explain. "Trust is super important in bonding so…each one of us is going to jump from this tree. We will have to trust the person at the bottom to catch us. Let's start!" Mew explained.

Mew climbed up the tree and leaped off with a playful pose. The catcher, me, waited anxiously for Mew's landing. I knew I wasn't that strong and the velocity of the fall wasn't helping my case either. Nonetheless, I caught the pink Pokémon with mild difficulty.

"See, was that so bad?" Mew questioned rhetorically.

"I'll go next!" Jinx perked up quickly. "Jack, can you catch me?"

"Aye mate! Would be an honor to catch a falling damsel from her demise." Jack joked. Jinx rolled her eyes and gracefully dashed up the tree.

With unmatched poise, the Luxray leaped from the tree's branches. Jinx practically defined "falling with style" while Jack eagerly waited to catch the falling Pokémon, already posed for capture. With a swish of a tail, he caught her almost effortlessly and grinned at his success. That Dragonair was very powerful indeed.

"Thanks Jack. For a moment, I thought you couldn't do it." Jinx admitted. Unfazed, Jack held is grin and replied, "No problem Jinxy! Tis child's play!"

Chuckling as Jack slowly placed Jinx on the ground, she marveled at his cocky attitude. Jinx and Jack laughed together all while Mew smiled happily. The bonding was working!

I was already up the tree before the others could force me there. With clouds of doubt surrounding me, I fell off the tree from tripping over a hidden branch.

"I got Fluffy Bottoms!" Mew shouted to everyone, paws outstretched.

Unfortunately, Mew misjudged where I was going to land and started to perform a running catch. Nature was not kind to Mew that moment as it tripped over a rock, allowing me to become one with the ground.

WHACK!

As I started to black out, I saw Jinx and Jack grimace in my direction while Mew ran towards me with a series of "I'm sorry!"

This was obviously not turning out well.

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Mew's Bonding Technique #2-Sharing

"Okay guys, next we are going to bond by sharing. It is key to healthy relationships. Each of us will go somewhere and try to get as much STUFF as we can in half an hour. Then, we'll meet back here and share our STUFF. Let's start!" Mew cheered.

"Mew, I hope you don't expect this t turn out any better than the last idea…" I grumbled angrily, folding my brown paws in an irritated fashion. Mew, however, was persistent, "I don't know what you're talking about. The last idea went great!"

"Not for me." I countered, trying little to hide my smug scowl.

"Well boo-hoo. Not everything is about you. So ha…HA!"

I shook my head immensely. One of these days, I'll put forth the effort to actually win an argument with Mew. But for now, I'll tag along with this "bonding time".

"Alright. Let's go mates!" Jack exclaimed eagerly, his eyes sparkling with determination and the desire to make this work. Jack was willing to bond, but his competitive nature took hold as well. He wanted to be the one who everyone looked at to be jealous by just how much he collected.

"Calm down Jack. Don't give yourself a heart attack." Jinx laughed, obviously teasing Jack. She couldn't help it; it was simply too easy. Jack began to swell up and replied, "Aye, your just jealous of me enthusiasm."

I had enough of this annoying chatter. "Okay guys; let's just get along with this."

30 MINUTES LATER…

I was the last one to return from the hunt, battered and tired. The others were already back to our agreed meeting place; their joy emulating from the campsite despite the lack of my presence. Then again, this probably just adds to their fun and enjoyment. I see some looks of curiosity as I limp into view, my wounds showing quite easily. Naturally, the question is asked…

"What happened to you?" inquired Jinx.

"While looking for some Oran berries, I seemed to have stumbled upon a colony of Beedrill. After being chased off with the poisonous stingers painfully occupying my skin, I crashed headfirst into a tree. But no ordinary tree, as Pokémon inhabited it and seemed to believe I was attacking their home. After a few painful attacks, I continued to flee. But my adventure was not over, as I tripped over a rock and stumbled into a nearby lake infested with…well, you know…only to return here with my life."

"So…that's means you didn't get anything mate?" Jack asked, with a slight edge of disappointment ringing in his question. I felt angry that that was all Jack really cared about, but soon felt the shame after saying, "No. I acquired nothing."

"Well, things happen." Jinx comforted, shooting an angry look at Jack, who simply shrugged.

"Yeah, as long as you're here, that's all that really matters!" Mew gushed, flipping happily in the air.

I felt a little better, but that feeling disappeared quickly after I scanned the area. Food was piled high in a stack, along with miscellaneous objects, such as children's toys and such. I had plenty of reason to not have anything to present, but the fact that I hadn't did not help.

The silence after Mew's words were unbearably painful as our campfire flickered ever so cautiously.


Mew's Bonding Technique #3-Revealing yourself.

"Okay guys, today we will be doing our last technique…revealing yourself. Great bonding requires hiding nothing and telling all. So today, you will take turns telling everyone anything about yourself or anything that's happened to you in your life. Let's begin!" Mew proclaimed, confident that this idea was bound to be a smashing success.

I let out a semi-audible groan, but a groan nonetheless. But I made a promise to go along with it…but I'm starting to think that it's time to break it.

We gather in a circle and of course, everyone thinks I should be the one to go first.

"Well…" I start. "My name is…"

Oh no, not this problem again! I never really received my designated name, unless you count Fluffy Bottoms the Third or Doorballsign. I guess I'll just make up something.

"……Alex…."

How original. I already feel some heat building up in my furry cheeks as everyone raises their eyebrow, but say nothing.

"…and……I am a being that is hundreds of thousands of years old."

Should I recount my past to them? I decide not to; the information is irrelevant.

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"Well, I'm Mew!" It started ecstatically, "And I'm quite old as well! But that's beside the point. I like a lot of things, like flowers and………"

I tune out as Mew continues to babble about pretty much anything and everything.

"…and that's it!" Mew finished, almost out of breath.

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Things continue to go the way it does. Jack recounts his past about is home town and how he got lost. Jinx's tale is slightly more saddening for it was about her depressing past from this trainer named Paul to the lunatic tracking us down.

A full day passes and it turns night once more. I'm as tuned out to everyone than before; quite the opposite of Mew's goal. These "Bonding Techniques" have left me injured, humiliated, and quite angry with everyone for no apparent reason. My lid is boiling over, ready to burst with the slightest provocation.

"So mate, you ate dirt, was repeatedly injured, and told us practically nothing about ya. SUCKS TO BE YOU!" Jack laughed, trying to lighten the mood. But he failed miserably…

"I…"

Tears began to flow as I trembled furiously, unable to stop myself.

"You…"

Hateful things were ready to be spilled out, but I tried my best to contain them. It didn't work…

"YOU ARE ALL SO…"

"SO…"

I caught myself at the last minute, and took off before everything went wrong. I transformed into a bird Pokémon and took off. Which one I transformed into, I did not know. I just wanted to get out of there was quickly as possible. I didn't belong with them, ANY OF THEM! I should've known this when Mew decided to tag along with me. I should've……

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"What happened snowflake?" Jack asked worriedly. Mew was just as confused and worried as he was.

"I'm…not sure. I guess he just……" it trailed off.

Jinx took a deep breath and reassured, "Don't worry; I'm sure he just needs time to himself."

"I hope so…" Mew murmured sadly, still unsure of the situation.

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I landed somewhere in a forest. Was I out of Hoenn or not? I don't remember flying far and when I landed, I was an Eevee once more. It seemed to be a default form of mine. I was still injured from today's events and my body refused to move.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps. The group? That lunatic? It sounded like neither. I felt the temperature slowly drop as the footsteps grew in volume. A female voice seemed to be talking to me. It said, "Don't fear, your safe with me."

Using my last bits of energy, I turned over and my eyes landed on a Froslass. Then, I lost consciousness.


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