Finding Finneon Chapter 9 The Tank Gang
(Disclaimer: I do not Own Pokémon or Finding Nemo. Pokémon Belongs to Nintendo/Gamefreak. And Finding Nemo belongs to Disney/Pixar).
Please Read and Review.
(Meanwhile, two Pelipper sit quietly on the calm surface. A single air bubble, from the explosions deep below, lightly erupts behind one of them. The Pelipper Says accusingly).
Pelipper: Nice... (The Pelipper flies off. After a little time, Finneon plunges into the water in a whirlwind of Feebas. He lands in plant life. Peeks out, frightened).
Finneon: Dad? Daddy? (Slowly, he backs out of the plants, scanning, wide-eyed... and into ― a trio of giant scary tiki heads! Finneon screams and swims in the opposite direction but hits a glass wall. Another direction, same result. Turns again - bam! It turns out that Finneon has been set into a fancy marine aquarium, imbedded in the wall of the dentist's office, viewable from both the waiting room and the examining room. Each side of the tank has a decoration with a different theme: "Diablo Ocean" on one side (complete with a working volcano), and "Mirage Island" on the other. Finneon looks out the tank at magazines on a table, a woman behind a service window, a toy chest, a Beheeyem action figure, and a ball: it is a dentist's waiting room. A Voice plays over tiny speakers).
Dr. White: Jessie, prep for his anterior crown, would ya please, and, uh, I am going to need a couple cotton rolls.
Jessie: Okay. (Finneon moves cautiously through the dense plastic brush towards the voices. He stares out at the glass in wonder at a patient seated in a dentist's chair when the dentist's face leans down, right in front of him).
Dr. White: Hello, little fella!
Finneon: Ah! (Spooked, Finneon hides inside a fake plastic barrel. Dr. White Says to the patient).
Dr. White: Beauty, isn't he? I found that guy struggling for life out on the reef, and I saved him... so, that novocaine kicked in yet?
Patient: Ifhwinksho. (TRANSLATION: "I think so." Finneon backs away from the dentist, only for him to bump into a fake treasure chest. He gasps as the lid opens and Feebas bring forth. Out of the dark interior of a plastic pirate shipwreck, a yellow tang named Feebas charges at Finneon).
Feebas: Feebas!
Finneon: Ah!
Feebas: Feebas! The big Feebas! The little Feebas! Oh, My Feebas, all the Feebas! (The spastic fish grabs at the Feebas, slams the lid shut, and lays on the chest to keep it closed. Feebas Says protective). My Feebas. (On the nearby glass, a starfish named Staryu unsticks above Finneon. One of her arms flops on his head).
Staryu: He likes Feebas. (Finneon shrieks and hides in a fake miniature diver's helmet. From Finneon's perspective, shadowy fish appear from their cover and approach the helmet. Hushes. Eerie whispers. Finneon shrinks farther into the helmet, as a pair of eyes lower next to him and blink).
Corphish: Bonjour. (Finneon screams, bolts out of the helmet and into the fins of a pufferfish named Qwilfish. A Pokémon Named Luvdisc, a Pokémon named Tympole, and Feebas float around him).
Qwilfish: Slow down, little fella. (Qwilfish laughs). There is nothing to worry about.
Luvdisc: Oh, he is scared, to death.
Finneon: I want to go home. Do you know where my dad is? (Staryu Says from the glass).
Staryu: Honey, your dad's Perchance back at the pet store.
Finneon: Pet store?
Qwilfish: Yes, you know, like uh... Well, I am from the Fish Mart.
Tympole: Pet Palace.
Feebas: Fish-O-Rama.
Luvdisc: Mail order.
Staryu: PokéBay. (Tympole puts a fin on Finneon).
Tympole: So. Which one is it?
Finneon: I am... from the ocean?
Tympole: Ah, the ocean. (Tympole says alarmed). The ocean?! (Tympole screams and rips his fin away, clutching it as if it were on fire). He has not been experiencing decontamination yet! Corphish! (In a flash, a Pokémon named Corphish zips out of the diver's helmet).
Corphish: Oui?
Tympole: Clean him!
Corphish: Oui. (Corphish skitters over to Finneon and perches on top of him).
Tympole: Ocean!
Corphish: Ooh. La Mer. Bon. (A true professional, Corphish spins Finneon like a cob of corn, cleaning him within seconds. Finneon glows like a lightbulb). Voila! He is clean. (The shrimp zips back into the helmet, pops his mouth, and slams the face plate shut).
Feebas: Wow. The big blue. What is it like?
Finneon: Uh... big... and blue?
Feebas: I knew it.
Luvdisc: Kid, if there is anything you need, just ask your auntie Luvdisc that is me... (Luvdisc points to her reflection). Or, if I am not around, you can always talk to my sister, Luvdisc. (to "Luvdisc"; with love). Hi. How are you? (To Finneon; conspiratorially). Do not listen to anything my sister says, she is nuts! (Staryu Says muffled).
Staryu: We got a live one! (The Tank Gang looks up to Staryu stuck high on the glass).
Qwilfish: Cannot hear ya, Staryu. (Staryu unsticks).
Staryu: I said we got a live one! (Excited, the Tank Gang ditch Finneon, and swim up to Staryu's level. They look on with keen interest as the dentist begins to work on the patient).
Tympole: Yes!
Qwilfish: Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!
Luvdisc: What do we got?
Staryu: Root canal, and by the looks of those x-rays, it is not going to be pretty. (The dentist drills a hole into the crown of a tooth within the patient's mouth, causing him to scream in pain).
Qwilfish: Rubber dam and clamp installed?
Staryu: Yep.
Tympole: What did he uses to open?
Staryu: Feraligatr-Glidden drill. He seems to be favoring that one lately. (Luvdisc tries to look past her reflection).
Luvdisc: I cannot see, Luvdisc!
Staryu: Uhp, now he is doing the Schilder technique.
Qwilfish: Oh, he is using a Hedstrom file.
Tympole: That is not a Hedstrom file. That is a K-Flex.
Qwilfish: It has a teardrop cross-section. Clearly a Hedstrom.
Tympole: No, no. K-Flex.
Qwilfish: Hedstrom.
Tympole: K-Flex!
Qwilfish: Hedstrom! (Qwilfish suddenly inflates and lists helplessly away from the group).
Qwilfish: There I go... a little help... over here.
Luvdisc: I will go deflate him. (She swims after Qwilfish. He deflates, with a small wave slightly pushing the plastic plant life like wind).
Dr. White: All right, you can go ahead and rinse. (The Pokémon watch the patient rinse into the spit tank).
Tympole: Oh, the human mouth is a disgusting place! (Without warning, the Pelipper bounces off the window by the tank. The Pokémon do not react. Keep their eyes on the dentist. Pelipper thrusts his head into the room, out of breath).
Staryu: Hey Pelipper.
Pelipper: What did I miss? Am I late?
Staryu: Root canal, and it is a doozy.
Pelipper: Root canal, huh? What did he use to open?
Staryu: Feraligatr-Glidden drill.
Pelipper: He has been favoring that one. Hope he does not get surplus sealer at the secondary portal terminus... (Pelipper spots Finneon). Hello. Who is this?
Luvdisc: New guy. (Tympole chuckles).
Tympole: The dentist took him off the reef.
Pelipper: An outie? From my neighborhood, eh? Sorry if I ever took a snap at ya! Pokémon got to swim; Pelipper got to eat!
Dr. White: Hey! (The dentist is heading for the window, waving the Pelipper way). No, no, no, no! Those are not your Pokémon. They are my Pokémon. Come on! Go. Go on. Shoo! Shoo! (Pelipper takes off, knocking over a framed photo. The dentist picks up the frame, only to see that the glass on the frame has cracked). Aw, the picture broke. (Dr. White Shows the patient). This here's Luna. She is my niece. 'Going to be eight next week. (Dr. White Shows Finneon in the tank). Hey, little fellah, say hello to your new mummy. She is going to be here Friday to pick you up. You are her present. Oh, shhshhshh! It is our little secret! (Dr. White places the picture on the counter by the tank, and heads for the bathroom). Well, Mr. Sophocles, while that sets up, I am going to go to see a man about a wallaby. (The Pokémon swim over to the picture).
Qwilfish: Oh, Luna.
Finneon: What? What is wrong with her?
Tympole: She would not stop shaking the bag. (Luna, a cute little girl in ponytails. She smiles through her bracers, holding a plastic bag with another Finneon. The Finneon is belly-up. DEAD).
Feebas: Poor Finneon. (Luvdisc bursts into tears).
Luvdisc: He was her present last year!
Qwilfish: Hitched a ride on the porcelain express. (We hear a flush. The Pokémon look across to the dentist appearing from the bathroom, revealing the toilet).
Staryu: She is a Pokémonkiller! (Finneon begins to panic, swimming out of control).
Finneon: I cannot go with that girl; I need to get back to my dad! (He passes too close to the filter and end up sucking into the end of the intake tube. Plugs it up. Finneon grunts). Daddy! Help me!
Tank Gang: Oh, no... He is stuck...Oh, boy... (The Pokémon rush to get him out...).
Voice: Nobody touch him. (...but instantly freeze on command. From behind a plastic skull, their Leader appears, Carvanha, glides into view. The Pokémon's dorsal and pelvic fins Look to extend the full height of the tank. A commanding presence. Carvanha stares intensely at Finneon. Carvanha Says quiet).
Carvanha: Nobody touches him. (Calmly, Carvanha approaches the filter and stares Finneon down, considering his situation. His intentions unreadable. Finneon struggles; and says in a small voice).
Finneon: Can you help me?
Carvanha: No. You got yourself in there, you can get yourself out.
Luvdisc: But Carvanha ― (Carvanha Says Sharply).
Carvanha: I just wanna see him do it, okay? (Carvanha Says to Finneon). Calm down. Now, alternate wiggling your fins and your tail. (Finneon Says panicked).
Finneon: I-I cannot, I have a bad fin.
Carvanha: Never stopped me. (Carvanha turns to reveal his severed pectoral fin. Finneon gasps at the sight of it). Just think about what you need to do. (This time Finneon concentrates and tries again. All the Pokémon look on with rapt attention. Can he, do it? Finneon struggles, winces... and surprises himself by popping free from the tube).
Carvanha: Perfect.
Tank Gang: Yay! He is out...He made it...all right! (Staryu notices Carvanha studying the filter).
Staryu: Wow, from the ocean. Just like you, Carvanha. (Carvanha Says distracted).
Carvanha: Yes. (Staryu chuckles).
Staryu: I have seen that look before. What are you thinkin' about?
Carvanha: I am thinkin'... tonight, we give the kid a proper reception. (The exuberant tank Pokémon = surround Finneon).
Qwilfish: So, kid, you got a name or what?
Finneon: Finneon, I am Finneon.
(A/N #1: If it helps, Luna is the Character from the Pokémon Battle Frontier Episode, "Curbing the Crimson Tide").
Please Review.
TO BE CONTINUED...