pbPart Eleven- Shortcut through the woods/b
p
pKojiro had gassed the whole Cafe, i came out coughing holding him by the collar. "What the hell were you trying to do?"
pKojiro protested rather well. "They wouldn't talk! All they said was that he was a regular. Nothing else."
pThey probobly didn't KNOW anything else, but at least the excuse didn't stink as bad as the whole cafe. "Well, okay then. We're heading out. Leaping the fence between here and Viridan forest. the shortcut should take us straight to Pewter."
pKojiro nodded. "Is that weird cat-man coming?"
p"Name's Kyotoshi," said Kyotoshi, slipping up quietly behind me. "And yes, i'm comin'. Got a problem with that?"
pKojiro rapidly shook his head. Oh, good, i figured. They'd already established a pecking system.
pAn hour later we were well into the forest. While we were walking, i explained to Kyotoshi -who i'd decided to call Kyo for short- about the whole quest and how it had gotten started.
pHe nodded. "Aren't you going to tell us anything about you?" I asked. You never could tell when someone would be willing to talk, that was for sure.
pKyo shrugged. "Why the hell not? What's there to know anyway, right? I woke up in Celadon one day in the hotel, couldn't remember anything. I only knew a few things about what could pass as my past. I'd been changed, cause i'd used to see a human in my reflection. I knew i was a freak..."
pI snorted, interupting him. He looked at me strangely. I motioned to myself, glowing yellow arm and all. "You think you're a freak? Buster, at least you're human enough to get a pokemon license."
pHe shrugged again. "I ain't human anymore. See, i knew nothing about what the hell my past was. Do you know how hard it is to get a job when you don't even know who your MOM is? i had about fifteen pokebucks. Slots were the only way to get an income...you know the rest."
pI nodded. "Good point. And take that stupid hat and specs off. We're not in a city." i Psy-blasted the fedora and glasses right off him, and gasped when i did. He glared.
p"Reeeeeal happy now, eh Mantis? You wanted to see what kind of a god-damn freak i am, well have a nice look-see."
pHe had Meowth ears, but in red and gold, like his hair. They stuck up above his head and moved like my sister's did, but none of the movements from Kyo's ears were cheerful. He turned around and stormed off into the forest, but didn't go very far. I heard a deadened ithump/i and followed it.
pKyo was punching a tree with enough force to splinter the wood, and his hands were bleeding now. His ears were backed and tears were coming down his cheeks and staining his skin. I levetated a few feet off the ground nearby and watched him. After a few minutes, the Pokeperson broke down and sat against the tree, crying into his hands.
p"Do you know what the hell i am, even?" he asked aloud. Tears were still streaking down his face, but his eyes were closed. "Where the hell i came from? I ain't human, i ain't a pokemon...what the hell am i?"
pI levetated a little closer. "We all have that question at some point. You just have to accept that you are what you are." i shrugged.
p"Then..Then.." He was sniffling. I realized that despite all his tough attitudes and street-smart talk, Kyotoshi was still just the little kid who'd been kidnapped. "Why where you so damn surprised to see my ears?" His voice was halting, he was taking quick breaths to stop the crying. "Can't damn well accept that people are damn frightened of me, can i?"
p"I wasn't frightened," I told him truthfully, trying to send some calming Psy-waves towards Kyo. Poor kid needed them. "I just didn't expect to see Meowth ears on you. Believe me, my sister's ears are worse. They're bigger, and yellow. iAnd/i she has fur too. Come on, you seriously believe i was scared?"
pKyotoshi laughed quietly, the sound was even more sad then his crying. It hurt like a stake in my chest. "You know..how damn hard it is to live with myself? I mean, Growlithe and Meowth...dog and cat, right? Mortal enemies, duel to the death and all that shit...it's a little hard to keep a normal life when you hate yourself." He sniffed, and whiped his nose on his sleeve. "the Candies work like a mini evolution. They zap me into a new mind for a minute, like a computer whiping clean for an upgrade. You can forget that way...forget what you used to be..." Kyotoshi fell silent.
p"If it makes any difference," I offered, "The guys who did this to you are dead."
pKyo sniffed and smiled slightly. "It don't matter. the person they did it to is dead too."
pI shook my head. There wasn't much else i could do.
pKyotoshi took in another deep breath of air, finishing up with his cry. "It'd be just kinda nice," he wished aloud, "if i could find my real mom or dad again. And that they'd look at me and they wouldn't care about this..this.." he motioned to himself, "damn change thing...or these damn ears or the eyes or anything...like they'd just say they're glad to see me home." He sniffed and fell silent a minute. "But that ain't gonna happen," he said aloud. "I don't even know 'em...and if i did, they wouldn't know me."
pI sighed. i felt severly sorry for him, but there was nothing i could do. I couldn't change the past, i couldn't splice him apart like i'd done to Kojiro. He was three, the machine only could do two. "At any rate, i think we should be setting up camp. It's going to be dark soon, and you should get some sleep. You don't look like you've slept in a long while."
pKyo shrugged. "Pretty sharp," he sighed. "What about that blue-haired kid? Ain't you gonna look for him?"
pI grinned evilly and winked at the pokeperson. "As soon as i start cooking dinner, he'll show up.
p
pbPart Twelve- J.C.N.'s lullaby/b
p
pIt was pitch black, but i glowed like a soft neon night-light over the entire camp. my sleeping bag was rolled out next to a tree and i sat on it looking through the newpaper clippings for the one millionth time, wondering if i ought to tell Kyotoshi about them, see if he could figure out which one he was. J.C.N. lay open on my lap, carefully recording the clippings for future refrence, if they ever got lost.
pKojiro snored a few feet away, tucked into one of the extra sleeping bags Skunk had given me and snuggling a Koffing pokedoll he'd gotten goddess knows where. Maybe he'd stolen it from Wiseman Gifts, i wasn't sure.
pKyotoshi slept soundly across the clearing from me, also in one of the extra sleeping rolls, but he slept on top of the bed and not inside. The GrowlMeowperson had cried in his sleep too, tossing and turning like he was in a nightmare. Eventually, though, he fell silent and was now sleeping quietly. I picked up J.C.N. and pointed her at Kyo.
p"Start recording data on pokepeople, J.C.N. This is Kyotoshi, a mix between Meowth, Growlithe and a human. What can you tell me?"
pJ.C.N. pinged. "Well, Manti-sama, besides the fact he's pretty sexy..."
p"Hey, shut up and do like i asked, okay?" I whispered harshly. I didn't want to wake anyone.
p"Yeesh, whipe my memory whydoncha? Okay let's see. Pokeperson number Oh-oh-three. Name is Kyotoshi, Type One is Normal, Type Two is fire."
p"Yo, this is a documentary of him, not a pokedex entry, okay? Goddess..."
p"You let me do my job and i'll let you do yours. Okay he's about six one. Can't tell the weight yet, i'll leave that as unknown. Okay, Manti-sama. What do you know about him?"
p I took a deep breath and whispered to the machine. "He was one of the five kids kidnapped as a toddler. His genetic mother and father are unknown to him, and his gentic doners too aren't known for sure. He's been shifted to this shape, probobly from an injection or highly sophisticated spliceing machine. He was found in Celadon, his memory was whiped clean of his time on Cinnabar. He's showing mental trauma from the pokemon splicing, and also no maturity from the time he was kidnapped as far as the mental situation spans. Phsyical growth is normal. He's got normal human skin, save for Growlithe-like colouring and stripes. His hair's also Growlithe coloured. He's got Meowth ears and eyes as well, and shows the usual tough-guy attitude male Meowths get."
p"Hmmm that's it? that isn't much.."J.C.N. began to type up a screen of information, as well as a picture of Kyotoshi. I tapped the 'dex on my knee.
p"J.C.N., what can you tell me about the pokemon end of things? I doubt he's fought since Cinnabar, but he probobly still has attacks."
p"Right again, Manti-sama. He's got some good ones too. Fire Blast, Ember, Mega Punch and Swift. He's also at level fifty-six."
pMust be all those Rare Candies, i thought. Kyo was far more powerful then he knew. "Can you figure his actual age in Human years?"
pJ.C.N. binged and ran a pink light over Kyotoshi. "Sure thing. Looks to be about eighteen."
p"Skunk's age," i narrowed my eyes and thought of that. The times for when he'd been kidnapped and when he'd been discharged didn't match in psysical age. Something had excelerated his growth. Weird.
pThe pink light hit Kyo's eyes again and he stirred, waking up. "Mantis? What the hell are you doing?"
p"Making a 'dex on pokepeople like you and me, Kyo. Don't worry about it." I set J.C.N. aside and climbed into my sleeping roll. The light in the area instantly dimmed. It was silent for a while, then Kyotoshi spoke up again.
p"I can't sleep again, damn it. Once i'm awake i'm awake for good." he sighed, aggrivated.
pIf i had had my Jigglypuff or Clefairy i could have had them Sing him to sleep, but i didn't. I tapped J.C.N. on the casing. "J.C.N., can you sing a lullaby?"
pThe pokedex dinged at me. "I think so. To who?"
pKyotoshi looked at me skepticly. "You're shittin me, right?"
p"Not at all." i returned my attention to the pokedex. "Kyotoshi. Think you can do it?"
p"Sure thing, Manti-sama. I can calculate it up like the Jigglypuff song and all."
p"Good. Do it."
p"Okey-day," said J.C.N....and she started to sing.
pcenteruJ.C.N.'s Lullaby/ubrCast away from the shores of this world,brSet sail for lands away from herebrForign and lost, brYou're no stranger there.brPeople there to see you, brYou see them in your dreamsbrIn shadows in reflectionsbrRipples of what used to be.brCome gaze into the skybrAt crimsion birds skimming bybrRed like the sunset painted in blood, brGrim parodies of memories you don't own anymore.brDid you ever look so much like them?brHere you're the same all over againbrCast away, sail the wishes,brWish you could go there in your sleep,brYour soul is safe, here we keep itbrBeside your dreamsbrIn jars of silverbrVisit the worlds you lostbrWhen you were traveling realitybrYour memories are safe with me.p
/centerAnd, despite what the world had done to Kyotoshi in the past, he slept soundly this time. No more nightmares haunted him.
p
pbPart Thirteen- WHOSE dad is that??/b
p
pI awoke when something started to bounce on top of me. Doubting it was Kojiro or Kyotoshi, and hoping it wasn't, i chanced a look. A old, graying Meowth bounced Kojiro's pokedoll around, infatuated with its round shape. I groaned and pulled the sleeping roll over my head. Just my luck, there would be a wild pokemon hanging around camp and going through our stuff.
pKeeping with the already hard-luck mood of my morning, the Meowth was singing while it played. I gritted my teeth and debated Psy-blasting it into oblivion. But i didn't want to kill the thing, and besides, Meowths were good conversationalists. Maybe when i was ready to get up i'd try to catch it.
p::La lalala laaaaa!:: sang the Meowth, ::Got yer tape and it changed my mind, heard yer voice in between the lines. Come around from another time, where nobody ever goes...::
pOkay, that was it. It was too early in the morning for a Meowth who was a Semisonic fan to be singing and running around on my bed. I sat up and yelled at it. "Would you PLEASE keep it down? We're trying to SLEEP!"
pThe Meowth jumped back, yelling, frightened. I growled at it and lay back down, hoping it would go away. Unfortunately for me, it didn't. The Meowth padded over to where my head was and looked me in the face.
p::Mantis? Mantis, is that you? Oh, wow! Hey, how's your sister doing?::
pI sat up tiredly, like the damn Meowth mattered any. But it knew my name, that was something. "Do i know you?"
pThe Meowth sat on my knees and polished the coin on its head with a paw. ::Well, i admit it's been a while, but you ought to remember me! I remember you.::
p"Who are you?"
pKyotoshi threw part of the sleeping roll over his head and spoke sleepily from underneith it, i guess we'd woken him up. "Can you keep it down? I'm tryin' to get some damn sleep here."
p::Kyo? That you? Hey, how've you been?:: The Meowth got up and ran across the way to sit on Kyo's head. ::Hey, get up! C'mon it's nearly dawn anyway. Get out of that bed.:: The Meowth hit the back of Kyo's head with his paw, then kicked him for good measure.
pKyotoshi was up within the minute. He knocked the Meowth off and glared at it, rubbing the back of his head. "What the hell was that? I'll sleep as late as i damn well please, furball!"
pI must have looked visably shocked because both Kyotoshi and the Meowth turned to look at me.
p"What?" Kyo asked.
p::What?:: asked the Meowth.
p"Kyo, you understand him?" I pointed towards the Meowth. "I thought all attempts to get Human DNA to communicate with Pokemon DNA failed."
pKyotoshi rubbed the back of his neck and sat down again, backing his ears and rolling his eyes. "Shows what the hell you know."
pThe Meowth waggled a finger. ::Hey, let's not get rude. Some attempts worked, some didn't.::
p"Yeah uh huh ain't that interesting. Listen, why don't you shut the hell up and let me get back to sleep?" Kyotoshi flopped back onto his sleeping roll and put the pillow back over his head.
pThe Meowth still stood on his sleeping roll, but it turned in the opposite direction of Kyo and put its nose in the air. ::Hrmph! That's no way to talk to your dad.::
pI was still shocked. "His iDad/i?"
pThe Meowth looked sidelong at me. ::Yours too, don't be so surprised. You're all part Meowth of course.::
pKyotoshi threw the pillow off his head and glared. "That ain't funny. I ain't got no parents, not anymore. Not after i got turned into this damn freak thing."
pThe Meowth shrugged. ::Okay, granted i'm not your biological dad, but i donated the DNA for both of you. So you're wrong. I am your parent in a way. C'mere, gimme a hug!:: The Meowth ran at Kyotoshi, who met it with a pillow to the face halfway.
pI grinned slightly. "Bit grouchy this morning, Kyotoshi?"
pKyo just grunted and lay back down. The Meowth, having learned its temporary lesson, retreated to my sleeping roll where it sat. ::Hrmph. He certainly didn't used to be this disagreeable.::
p"Times change people, Meowth," I told the graying pokemon. "Kyotoshi thinks he lost a lot when he was changed. What, i'm not sure. They whiped his memory when he was taken from Cinnibar."
p::Oh, naturally. Your memory was whiped from the time you and Soshika went out in the boat to meet with...well, that's not something you should know yet. Anyway, it lasts depending upon how human the subject still is.::
pHmm..that was interesting. Soshika and i might eventually remember things we'd been forced to forget. Kyotoshi on the other hand was almost completely Human still. He might never remember. That would be a pretty savage punishment for someone who had done nothing. "Do you know why Kyotoshi and the three others were taken off Cinnibar?"
pThe Meowth nodded, licked a paw and washed its fur. ::Yeah. You see, he's already having trouble dealing with the mixed pokemon DNA, especially because the two monsters used are enemies. It wasn't doing the Proffesers any good to have a depressed test subject. Everyone knows if you keep a depressed animal in captivity, it dies.::
pThey'd treated Kyotoshi like just an animal, then. Released him back into the world with hopes he'd survive. "What about the others? And are you their parent too?"
pThe Meowth grinned. ::You're my litter of little kitties, more or less. There are still two i don't know what happened too, though. I was released a few years ago, see? When i reached retirement age..::
p"Interesting, but what about the others? Do you know why they were let out?"
p::Probobly the same reason as Kyotoshi, but of course if they were a bit of a handful like you and your sister had been, the Profs. might have been forced to release them for their own safety.::
p"Smart." I nodded, regarding Kyo who was back to sleep again. "Meowth, would you come with us on our search? My sister is loosing her memory, i'm looking for people and things to rebuild it. You'd be a big help."
pThe Meowth jumped up and struck a heroic pose. ::Anything to save one of my Kits! Count me in, I'll do my best.::
pI shook the Meowth's paw, and it gave me a hug. "Thanks a lot, Meowth."
p::Please,:: The Meowth grinned toothily. ::Call me dad.::
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p
pKojiro had gassed the whole Cafe, i came out coughing holding him by the collar. "What the hell were you trying to do?"
pKojiro protested rather well. "They wouldn't talk! All they said was that he was a regular. Nothing else."
pThey probobly didn't KNOW anything else, but at least the excuse didn't stink as bad as the whole cafe. "Well, okay then. We're heading out. Leaping the fence between here and Viridan forest. the shortcut should take us straight to Pewter."
pKojiro nodded. "Is that weird cat-man coming?"
p"Name's Kyotoshi," said Kyotoshi, slipping up quietly behind me. "And yes, i'm comin'. Got a problem with that?"
pKojiro rapidly shook his head. Oh, good, i figured. They'd already established a pecking system.
pAn hour later we were well into the forest. While we were walking, i explained to Kyotoshi -who i'd decided to call Kyo for short- about the whole quest and how it had gotten started.
pHe nodded. "Aren't you going to tell us anything about you?" I asked. You never could tell when someone would be willing to talk, that was for sure.
pKyo shrugged. "Why the hell not? What's there to know anyway, right? I woke up in Celadon one day in the hotel, couldn't remember anything. I only knew a few things about what could pass as my past. I'd been changed, cause i'd used to see a human in my reflection. I knew i was a freak..."
pI snorted, interupting him. He looked at me strangely. I motioned to myself, glowing yellow arm and all. "You think you're a freak? Buster, at least you're human enough to get a pokemon license."
pHe shrugged again. "I ain't human anymore. See, i knew nothing about what the hell my past was. Do you know how hard it is to get a job when you don't even know who your MOM is? i had about fifteen pokebucks. Slots were the only way to get an income...you know the rest."
pI nodded. "Good point. And take that stupid hat and specs off. We're not in a city." i Psy-blasted the fedora and glasses right off him, and gasped when i did. He glared.
p"Reeeeeal happy now, eh Mantis? You wanted to see what kind of a god-damn freak i am, well have a nice look-see."
pHe had Meowth ears, but in red and gold, like his hair. They stuck up above his head and moved like my sister's did, but none of the movements from Kyo's ears were cheerful. He turned around and stormed off into the forest, but didn't go very far. I heard a deadened ithump/i and followed it.
pKyo was punching a tree with enough force to splinter the wood, and his hands were bleeding now. His ears were backed and tears were coming down his cheeks and staining his skin. I levetated a few feet off the ground nearby and watched him. After a few minutes, the Pokeperson broke down and sat against the tree, crying into his hands.
p"Do you know what the hell i am, even?" he asked aloud. Tears were still streaking down his face, but his eyes were closed. "Where the hell i came from? I ain't human, i ain't a pokemon...what the hell am i?"
pI levetated a little closer. "We all have that question at some point. You just have to accept that you are what you are." i shrugged.
p"Then..Then.." He was sniffling. I realized that despite all his tough attitudes and street-smart talk, Kyotoshi was still just the little kid who'd been kidnapped. "Why where you so damn surprised to see my ears?" His voice was halting, he was taking quick breaths to stop the crying. "Can't damn well accept that people are damn frightened of me, can i?"
p"I wasn't frightened," I told him truthfully, trying to send some calming Psy-waves towards Kyo. Poor kid needed them. "I just didn't expect to see Meowth ears on you. Believe me, my sister's ears are worse. They're bigger, and yellow. iAnd/i she has fur too. Come on, you seriously believe i was scared?"
pKyotoshi laughed quietly, the sound was even more sad then his crying. It hurt like a stake in my chest. "You know..how damn hard it is to live with myself? I mean, Growlithe and Meowth...dog and cat, right? Mortal enemies, duel to the death and all that shit...it's a little hard to keep a normal life when you hate yourself." He sniffed, and whiped his nose on his sleeve. "the Candies work like a mini evolution. They zap me into a new mind for a minute, like a computer whiping clean for an upgrade. You can forget that way...forget what you used to be..." Kyotoshi fell silent.
p"If it makes any difference," I offered, "The guys who did this to you are dead."
pKyo sniffed and smiled slightly. "It don't matter. the person they did it to is dead too."
pI shook my head. There wasn't much else i could do.
pKyotoshi took in another deep breath of air, finishing up with his cry. "It'd be just kinda nice," he wished aloud, "if i could find my real mom or dad again. And that they'd look at me and they wouldn't care about this..this.." he motioned to himself, "damn change thing...or these damn ears or the eyes or anything...like they'd just say they're glad to see me home." He sniffed and fell silent a minute. "But that ain't gonna happen," he said aloud. "I don't even know 'em...and if i did, they wouldn't know me."
pI sighed. i felt severly sorry for him, but there was nothing i could do. I couldn't change the past, i couldn't splice him apart like i'd done to Kojiro. He was three, the machine only could do two. "At any rate, i think we should be setting up camp. It's going to be dark soon, and you should get some sleep. You don't look like you've slept in a long while."
pKyo shrugged. "Pretty sharp," he sighed. "What about that blue-haired kid? Ain't you gonna look for him?"
pI grinned evilly and winked at the pokeperson. "As soon as i start cooking dinner, he'll show up.
p
pbPart Twelve- J.C.N.'s lullaby/b
p
pIt was pitch black, but i glowed like a soft neon night-light over the entire camp. my sleeping bag was rolled out next to a tree and i sat on it looking through the newpaper clippings for the one millionth time, wondering if i ought to tell Kyotoshi about them, see if he could figure out which one he was. J.C.N. lay open on my lap, carefully recording the clippings for future refrence, if they ever got lost.
pKojiro snored a few feet away, tucked into one of the extra sleeping bags Skunk had given me and snuggling a Koffing pokedoll he'd gotten goddess knows where. Maybe he'd stolen it from Wiseman Gifts, i wasn't sure.
pKyotoshi slept soundly across the clearing from me, also in one of the extra sleeping rolls, but he slept on top of the bed and not inside. The GrowlMeowperson had cried in his sleep too, tossing and turning like he was in a nightmare. Eventually, though, he fell silent and was now sleeping quietly. I picked up J.C.N. and pointed her at Kyo.
p"Start recording data on pokepeople, J.C.N. This is Kyotoshi, a mix between Meowth, Growlithe and a human. What can you tell me?"
pJ.C.N. pinged. "Well, Manti-sama, besides the fact he's pretty sexy..."
p"Hey, shut up and do like i asked, okay?" I whispered harshly. I didn't want to wake anyone.
p"Yeesh, whipe my memory whydoncha? Okay let's see. Pokeperson number Oh-oh-three. Name is Kyotoshi, Type One is Normal, Type Two is fire."
p"Yo, this is a documentary of him, not a pokedex entry, okay? Goddess..."
p"You let me do my job and i'll let you do yours. Okay he's about six one. Can't tell the weight yet, i'll leave that as unknown. Okay, Manti-sama. What do you know about him?"
p I took a deep breath and whispered to the machine. "He was one of the five kids kidnapped as a toddler. His genetic mother and father are unknown to him, and his gentic doners too aren't known for sure. He's been shifted to this shape, probobly from an injection or highly sophisticated spliceing machine. He was found in Celadon, his memory was whiped clean of his time on Cinnabar. He's showing mental trauma from the pokemon splicing, and also no maturity from the time he was kidnapped as far as the mental situation spans. Phsyical growth is normal. He's got normal human skin, save for Growlithe-like colouring and stripes. His hair's also Growlithe coloured. He's got Meowth ears and eyes as well, and shows the usual tough-guy attitude male Meowths get."
p"Hmmm that's it? that isn't much.."J.C.N. began to type up a screen of information, as well as a picture of Kyotoshi. I tapped the 'dex on my knee.
p"J.C.N., what can you tell me about the pokemon end of things? I doubt he's fought since Cinnabar, but he probobly still has attacks."
p"Right again, Manti-sama. He's got some good ones too. Fire Blast, Ember, Mega Punch and Swift. He's also at level fifty-six."
pMust be all those Rare Candies, i thought. Kyo was far more powerful then he knew. "Can you figure his actual age in Human years?"
pJ.C.N. binged and ran a pink light over Kyotoshi. "Sure thing. Looks to be about eighteen."
p"Skunk's age," i narrowed my eyes and thought of that. The times for when he'd been kidnapped and when he'd been discharged didn't match in psysical age. Something had excelerated his growth. Weird.
pThe pink light hit Kyo's eyes again and he stirred, waking up. "Mantis? What the hell are you doing?"
p"Making a 'dex on pokepeople like you and me, Kyo. Don't worry about it." I set J.C.N. aside and climbed into my sleeping roll. The light in the area instantly dimmed. It was silent for a while, then Kyotoshi spoke up again.
p"I can't sleep again, damn it. Once i'm awake i'm awake for good." he sighed, aggrivated.
pIf i had had my Jigglypuff or Clefairy i could have had them Sing him to sleep, but i didn't. I tapped J.C.N. on the casing. "J.C.N., can you sing a lullaby?"
pThe pokedex dinged at me. "I think so. To who?"
pKyotoshi looked at me skepticly. "You're shittin me, right?"
p"Not at all." i returned my attention to the pokedex. "Kyotoshi. Think you can do it?"
p"Sure thing, Manti-sama. I can calculate it up like the Jigglypuff song and all."
p"Good. Do it."
p"Okey-day," said J.C.N....and she started to sing.
pcenteruJ.C.N.'s Lullaby/ubrCast away from the shores of this world,brSet sail for lands away from herebrForign and lost, brYou're no stranger there.brPeople there to see you, brYou see them in your dreamsbrIn shadows in reflectionsbrRipples of what used to be.brCome gaze into the skybrAt crimsion birds skimming bybrRed like the sunset painted in blood, brGrim parodies of memories you don't own anymore.brDid you ever look so much like them?brHere you're the same all over againbrCast away, sail the wishes,brWish you could go there in your sleep,brYour soul is safe, here we keep itbrBeside your dreamsbrIn jars of silverbrVisit the worlds you lostbrWhen you were traveling realitybrYour memories are safe with me.p
/centerAnd, despite what the world had done to Kyotoshi in the past, he slept soundly this time. No more nightmares haunted him.
p
pbPart Thirteen- WHOSE dad is that??/b
p
pI awoke when something started to bounce on top of me. Doubting it was Kojiro or Kyotoshi, and hoping it wasn't, i chanced a look. A old, graying Meowth bounced Kojiro's pokedoll around, infatuated with its round shape. I groaned and pulled the sleeping roll over my head. Just my luck, there would be a wild pokemon hanging around camp and going through our stuff.
pKeeping with the already hard-luck mood of my morning, the Meowth was singing while it played. I gritted my teeth and debated Psy-blasting it into oblivion. But i didn't want to kill the thing, and besides, Meowths were good conversationalists. Maybe when i was ready to get up i'd try to catch it.
p::La lalala laaaaa!:: sang the Meowth, ::Got yer tape and it changed my mind, heard yer voice in between the lines. Come around from another time, where nobody ever goes...::
pOkay, that was it. It was too early in the morning for a Meowth who was a Semisonic fan to be singing and running around on my bed. I sat up and yelled at it. "Would you PLEASE keep it down? We're trying to SLEEP!"
pThe Meowth jumped back, yelling, frightened. I growled at it and lay back down, hoping it would go away. Unfortunately for me, it didn't. The Meowth padded over to where my head was and looked me in the face.
p::Mantis? Mantis, is that you? Oh, wow! Hey, how's your sister doing?::
pI sat up tiredly, like the damn Meowth mattered any. But it knew my name, that was something. "Do i know you?"
pThe Meowth sat on my knees and polished the coin on its head with a paw. ::Well, i admit it's been a while, but you ought to remember me! I remember you.::
p"Who are you?"
pKyotoshi threw part of the sleeping roll over his head and spoke sleepily from underneith it, i guess we'd woken him up. "Can you keep it down? I'm tryin' to get some damn sleep here."
p::Kyo? That you? Hey, how've you been?:: The Meowth got up and ran across the way to sit on Kyo's head. ::Hey, get up! C'mon it's nearly dawn anyway. Get out of that bed.:: The Meowth hit the back of Kyo's head with his paw, then kicked him for good measure.
pKyotoshi was up within the minute. He knocked the Meowth off and glared at it, rubbing the back of his head. "What the hell was that? I'll sleep as late as i damn well please, furball!"
pI must have looked visably shocked because both Kyotoshi and the Meowth turned to look at me.
p"What?" Kyo asked.
p::What?:: asked the Meowth.
p"Kyo, you understand him?" I pointed towards the Meowth. "I thought all attempts to get Human DNA to communicate with Pokemon DNA failed."
pKyotoshi rubbed the back of his neck and sat down again, backing his ears and rolling his eyes. "Shows what the hell you know."
pThe Meowth waggled a finger. ::Hey, let's not get rude. Some attempts worked, some didn't.::
p"Yeah uh huh ain't that interesting. Listen, why don't you shut the hell up and let me get back to sleep?" Kyotoshi flopped back onto his sleeping roll and put the pillow back over his head.
pThe Meowth still stood on his sleeping roll, but it turned in the opposite direction of Kyo and put its nose in the air. ::Hrmph! That's no way to talk to your dad.::
pI was still shocked. "His iDad/i?"
pThe Meowth looked sidelong at me. ::Yours too, don't be so surprised. You're all part Meowth of course.::
pKyotoshi threw the pillow off his head and glared. "That ain't funny. I ain't got no parents, not anymore. Not after i got turned into this damn freak thing."
pThe Meowth shrugged. ::Okay, granted i'm not your biological dad, but i donated the DNA for both of you. So you're wrong. I am your parent in a way. C'mere, gimme a hug!:: The Meowth ran at Kyotoshi, who met it with a pillow to the face halfway.
pI grinned slightly. "Bit grouchy this morning, Kyotoshi?"
pKyo just grunted and lay back down. The Meowth, having learned its temporary lesson, retreated to my sleeping roll where it sat. ::Hrmph. He certainly didn't used to be this disagreeable.::
p"Times change people, Meowth," I told the graying pokemon. "Kyotoshi thinks he lost a lot when he was changed. What, i'm not sure. They whiped his memory when he was taken from Cinnibar."
p::Oh, naturally. Your memory was whiped from the time you and Soshika went out in the boat to meet with...well, that's not something you should know yet. Anyway, it lasts depending upon how human the subject still is.::
pHmm..that was interesting. Soshika and i might eventually remember things we'd been forced to forget. Kyotoshi on the other hand was almost completely Human still. He might never remember. That would be a pretty savage punishment for someone who had done nothing. "Do you know why Kyotoshi and the three others were taken off Cinnibar?"
pThe Meowth nodded, licked a paw and washed its fur. ::Yeah. You see, he's already having trouble dealing with the mixed pokemon DNA, especially because the two monsters used are enemies. It wasn't doing the Proffesers any good to have a depressed test subject. Everyone knows if you keep a depressed animal in captivity, it dies.::
pThey'd treated Kyotoshi like just an animal, then. Released him back into the world with hopes he'd survive. "What about the others? And are you their parent too?"
pThe Meowth grinned. ::You're my litter of little kitties, more or less. There are still two i don't know what happened too, though. I was released a few years ago, see? When i reached retirement age..::
p"Interesting, but what about the others? Do you know why they were let out?"
p::Probobly the same reason as Kyotoshi, but of course if they were a bit of a handful like you and your sister had been, the Profs. might have been forced to release them for their own safety.::
p"Smart." I nodded, regarding Kyo who was back to sleep again. "Meowth, would you come with us on our search? My sister is loosing her memory, i'm looking for people and things to rebuild it. You'd be a big help."
pThe Meowth jumped up and struck a heroic pose. ::Anything to save one of my Kits! Count me in, I'll do my best.::
pI shook the Meowth's paw, and it gave me a hug. "Thanks a lot, Meowth."
p::Please,:: The Meowth grinned toothily. ::Call me dad.::
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