.:.2.:.
Good 'Quil Hunting
"When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am."
--Iris-- by Goo Goo Dolls
The woman crouched down and took over for me, holding the bushes apart, and she called out the Pokemon. It came out readily at her voice, looking happy. She must've spent some time with it.
"Now, this particular Pokemon had been abused and abandoned by its Trainer. He was a very cruel boy and left it in the middle of a torential downpour about a month ago. A passing Trainer found it and took it to the Viridian City Pokemon Center, where it's been at since then." She paused to smile down at the Cyndaquil. "It doesn't have a name and it's female. So, why don't we let her choose who she wants as a trainer?"
The lady put me by the fence and the girl near one of the shrubs. The lady stayed between us and explained what was happening to the Cyndaquil. The lady nodded. "You may both begin."
"C'mere, you," the girl ordered.
"Just go to who you like better," I said, crouching down. "But I promise to take good care of you."
"Yeah, but if you come with me, I can promise you glory at the Johto League games." The girl sounded smug. "I placed fifth last year and with you on my team, I'm sure to go all the way."
She looked at me as if to say, "Top that!" I just shook my head and sat on the ground Indian-style. I pulled my long hair into a ponytail and took a deep breath. This was gonna be risky if Matt was right.
"I don't know," I started off, my voice shakey with nerves. "What he did to make you cry, but I'll be there to make you smile."
"Come here you!" The girl demanded.
The Cyndaquil had taken a step in my direction, but froze when the girl talked so harshly.
I smiled at it, thinking quickly. "I don't have a fancy car, to get to you I'd walk a thousand miles."
"I can buy you the nicest Pokeball and get you Rare Candies. Don't you want to be a Typhlosion?"
The Cyndaquil took two steps towards the girl.
I bit my lower lip, "I don't care if she buys you nice things, do her gifts come from the heart? I don't know, but if you were my 'Quil, I'd make it so we'd never be apart!"
The Cyndaquil definately started walking towards me and that got the girl mad. She grabbed the Cyndaquil and it squealed and suddenly, flames jetted from its back, burning the girls' hands. She dropped it with a cry and ran off to the pond.
The Cyndaquil squealed again and ran to me, the flames vanishing from her back. "Cynda, cynda quil!"
I picked her up and then stood up. The lady smiled and took the Cyndaquil from me.
"That was very clever," She said to me. "And you're a good singer. You should have a record producer pick that up. I'm sure it would be a hit!"
I smiled weakly and said a small, "Thank you."
"You can claim this Cyndaquil at the counter. If you want, and if you have the room on your rouster, you may adopt another one." She walked up to the building.
I looked down at the pager, I still had ten minutes left. I thought of the Pokemon I now had. Since I only had four, now including Cyndaquil, I thought I'd take a look at the grass types. Unfortunatly, there were no Chikorita's and only a couple of Oddish and Hoppip. I really didn't want one and I wouldn't want it to just end up back here.
A small purple blob caught my eye. A Ditto! I pressed the grey button and within moments, I had another Pokemon. This time there was no fuss about it. Okay, I had my present for Sparky, now what about me? Hmmm...
Five minutes later, I'd just about given up. That girl had gotten a Cyndaquil after all and looked all smug about it as she walked back into the Center.
"Whatever," I muttered. I was walking up the hill when something plowed into the middle of my back. I was flung to the grass and for a second, I saw stars. No, not like Brad Pitt or Will Smith, but...nevermind. I sat up, rubbing my forehead where it really hurt, and looked back to see what hit me. Huddled at my feet was a shivering mass of lilac hued fur. "They always seem to find me."
Seconds after I pressed the grey button for a third, and now final, time, I was greeted by the same lady. "Looks like someone found you. That is one lucky Pokémon."
I looked down at it and it looked up at me with big purple eyes. They seemed to change from purple to blue, like the surface of a bubble. "What, ah, what Type is it?"
The lady blinked, "Well, that's the thing. See, no one really knows for sure. It just showed up one day at the Ecruteak Pokemon Center. It was bruised and looked as if it'd been kicked or maybe it had been in a battle with a wild Pokemon. It sure is a mystery."
"Hasn't anyone else wanted to adopt it?"
"Yes, but there have been rather odd things with this particular Pokemon. It only appears to those it seems to be attracted to, but you're the only one it's stayed by. The other people it had liked, it eventually left before they could summon an assistant." The woman shook her head. "We've had a heck of a time just trying to get it to eat."
I crouched down beside it, I'd have my full of exercising for the week in just one day, and reached out a hand to let it sniff my fingers. Good thing I'd washed. I know, that was just wrong! Heh. So a second later, the strange Pokemon was in a strange looking Pokeball, and I was walking back into the building.
I didn't see Gary, but he was probably outside anyway. I stood in line for my Pokemon and, from the corner of my eye, I saw that girl leaving. She didn't see me, but I would remember her. She would be one I wouldn't wanna mess with in the future. I only hoped she wouldn't hold a grudge against me and that I hadn't made an adversary, y'know like Ash and Gary had been like towards each other. But I knew what my luck was like and I wondered if I should get her name for future reference. Nah.
Though it felt like days that had melded into years had passed, it had only been about ten minutes. I walked up to the window, showed the man behind it my Pokedex, and he handed me three Pokeballs.
"Okay," he said, looking at the computer moniter. His eyes reflected the glare oddly. "That'll be 5K even."
"The HELL?!?!" I gasped, feeling my face blanch. I heard a guy behind me sigh in annoyance. "Why? I thought I was adopting, giving a good home, blah blah blah. Whassup with $5,000?"
"Well just look at the particular Pokemon you adopted: A high level Cyndaquil, an unknown Eevee-type, and a Ditto---and let me tell you a Ditto is a pretty penny in itself----and we come up with 5K."
I thought of the three Pokemon in the Pokeballs I held. It's not that I couldn't afford it, I could afford it and easily so, but I was gonna get a Porygon at the Cerulean City Casino....
Five minutes later, I smiled and left, attatching the new Pokeballs to my belt as I walked out the door. I found Gary waiting for me under a tree by what looked like a lake, but for all I knew it was the ocean.
"Ready to go to Cerulean?" he asked.
"No." I shrugged. "I can't now."
"Why not?" He looked concerned.
"I kind of, adopted, a few new members to my team."
Any kind of concern vanished and his face absolutely lit up. "Really? Can I see?"
I sighed, "Sure, I have to introduce them to the others anyway."
In a flash of light, Moonsong, Umbreon, and Ponyta met Cyndaquil, Ditto, and ____.
"____?" Gary asked, laughing, "Cirrus, you can't just call a Pokemon ____."
The little Pokemon looked up at me with wide purple eyes.
"I guess this means I have to get creative." I paused, thinking. "Since you're such a mystery to everyone, how about I call you Mystique?"
The little Pokemon frowned a little, but nodded.
"Great, it's settled for now. If you really don't like it, just let me know."
"Don't worry about it." Moonsong said to me. "She says that's an okay name."
"Thank you, Moonsong," I tossed her one of the specially formulated--and way expensive--Houndour treats. "I'm always glad to have you as my personal translator."
"Hey, the Pokemon are easy to understand," Moonsong backed away, a sly look on her face, treat safely in her jaws. "It's you that is the hard one to figure out."
"Saaay..."
We spent about a half-hour at the ocean/beach/lake/whatever, getting my Pokemon acquainted with each other. I was sitting under a tree, watching all of them interacting with each other. The Ditto was really cute, changing shapes and mock fighting with the others. Gary was especially taken with it and I knew I would feel bad, taking his new "toy" away from him. Yeah right!
"Cirrus," A gentle voice broke into my thoughts. It was Umbreon, the only Pokemon whose speech I was able to understand other than Moonsong. I hadn't renamed him and he seemed to like just being known by Umbreon. Maybe I'll pass the Burakki name past him, see if he likes it.
"Cirrus?"
"Sorry, I was thinking. What is it?"
"Not too loud, I have a bit of a headache." Umbreon sat in my lap and I scratched behind his long ebony ears. "I was thinking about your new Pokemon and one doesn't seem right."
"Mystique?"
"Mm-hmm. Ooh that's nice, don't stop! Yes, the Umbreon/Espeon mix."
"You mean there are crossbreeds here?"
"Not naturally. I think that Pokemon was created. It's not especially psychic and I think it has more of the Umbreon traits to it."
"But you aren't psychic so how would you know?" I watched Mystique, mock battling with Ditto. She seemed completely unaware of the conversation Umbreon and I were having.
"It's a Dark Pokemon thing...you wouldn't understand."
"Oh, I guess that explains it."
"Yes, I rather think it does."
So we just sat there, Umbreon had fallen asleep, Ponyta had wandered over to me and was munching on grass, and Gary and the others were still holding false battles. People that passed by us (and there were a lot) smiled and cheered the Pokemon on, but no one challenged Gary to a battle since none of the Pokemon were his. Some of the kids asked for autographs, but no one really bothered us.
Meanwhile, I was watching Mystique. She was a beautiful little Pokemon. She had an Umbreons build, an Espeon's tail, ears, and color, but she also had the Umbreons gold markings. She had the Espeon red dot thing and it really reminded me of Ryo-ohki from Tenchi Muyo. That cabbit was so cute! Still and all, I wasn't sure of Mystique's attacks and I was too lazy right now to bother with a Pokedex check.
Suddenly, two girls ran by, full of excitement over something called Isla Muerte.
"What's that about, Gary?" I asked.
He walked over to me, Pokemon in tow. "Um, I don't know." He looked thoughtful, his blue eyes narrowed in concentration. "But it sounds interesting. New things are discovered all the time in Johto. Maybe we should ask someone."
I looked back at the busy Adoption Fair. "Why don't we ask Nurse Joy again. We have to return the bikes anyway." I woke Umbreon up and then recalled all my Pokemon, except for Moonsong.
*****
So we pedaled back and let me tell you that it was no pick-a-nic. The way was totally uphill and I was so not in shape for that sort of thing. I grew desparate. "Moonsong! Hold this for me!" I fished out a rope.
She snorted at me, "You think I'm that dumb? What, do I look like a Siberian Husky that I would pull your fat ass up the hill?"
I stopped pedaling. "Why you obscene little dog you!"
A second later, I was flying past Moonsong and Gary from the high-life of Ponyta's back. Luckily, the bike was a lightweight, collapsible kind. "Nyah!" I said from my post. Ponyta whinnied a comment to Moonsong, who growled ineffectively back.
So there I was, twenty minutes later, sipping at my dark chocolate miltank shake and sitting in front of the Pokemon Center. I saw Gary pedaling towards me, red-faced and looking all hot and bothered, Moonsong by his side. I got up and walked towards him, holding out a vanilla miltank shake as a peace offering of sorts.
"I'm sorry," I said as Moonsong collapsed practically on my feet. "I should've offered you a ride. Can you forgive me?"
He sipped the shake and sighed in relief. "I think I've forgiven you for far worse, but the abuse I take from you isn't as bad as if it was seen by..."
"Hey, Gary!"
Gary rolled his eyes at the voice, "...Ash."
I turned around to see Ash and Misty walking towards us. I could see his left wrist was wrapped up. Pikachu was on Ash's backpack and suprisingly, Togepi was not in Misty's arms. It wasn't anywhere actually. I sighed in relief.
"Oh, wow!" Ash suddenly exclaimed. "What's that?"
I sighed again as Ash took out his Pokedex and pointed it at Moonsong, who seemed to be out cold by now. Naturally, it rattled off all available info on Houndours. How engaging.
"So, Misty, where's Togepi?" I heard Moonsong sigh. I guess she was conscious. "Well?"
"How do you know about Togepi?" Misty looked sad and confused.
Arrgh...that's right, how would I know about Togepi? I thought hard and fast. "Um, Gary told me all about Togepi and anyway, I was just wondering why it wasn't here."
Misty looked over at Ash, but he was busy engaging Gary in a conversation. She spoke in a low voice. "Well, about two months ago Ash, Brock, and I were traveling from Goldenrod to Olivine and we were attacked. Ash was badly injured, but Pikachu chased it off. It was a Ryhorn that attacked us, but we startled it." Misty sighed. "After it was chased off, Togepi was standing over Ash and it evolved into a Togetic and flew away. I called for it to come back, but it never did. We'd thought Ash was dead and here Togepi evolved and left me."
I wondered if I should tell her that Togepi only evolves into Togetic when it's obscenely happy. Nah.
"Your Houndour is so cute," Misty gushed, changing the subject. "Can I pet it?" She got down anyway, before I could say what a blood-thirsty Pokemon Moonsong was, and started scratching Moonsong between the ears.
"Sure," I said anyway, not like it'd do any good to tell her no.
I looked up to see Ash still talking to Gary, for once it had nothing to do with how he'd someday beat Gary. He was actually talking about Isla Muerte and the rare Pokemon it had on it.
"They said it was a Black Charizard that has blue fire and that it's at least a level 100, maybe higher." He was like a kid at his birthday party, all animated and waving his arms all around. "So are you gonna try to get it?"
Gary only shook his head. "Ashy-boy, there are just better things I can do with my time. I don't need to catch another Pokemon. I've already got almost all of them and I won't try to catch a Legendary Pokemon or anything like that. Plus I've heard that that thing is deadly. Half of the people that've tried to catch it came back babbling like morons and the other half were badly injured. Why would I take the chance?"
Ash's crestfallen face mirrored what I felt. Why not try to catch a rare Pokemon?
"Well, he definately won't be going for it." Misty was on her feet and glaring at Ash. "He's already babbling like a moron and I don't need him badly injured."
"But Misty..." he whined.
"Chu, Pikapi," Pikachu muttered as it patted Ash's shoulder in comfort.
"Besides, you already have a Charizard, even if it's at that Charicific Island thing." I blurted out.
All four looked up at me in confusion. Ash spoke first. "Uh, no. Charizard is with me. What's the Charicific Island?"
"Insert foot in mouth, dummy." Moonsong smirked
"Nevermind her," Gary still looked baffled. "She's not from around here. Ash, why don't we all have lunch? We can talk more about this mutant Charizard if you want."
A.N.: Okay, due to my dumb-bunny mistake, I never got out Chapter Two last night like I wanted. Lets just say it was a dark and stormy night. So, because of that, I am putting up Chapter Three as a consolation prize to my loving and adoring fans. All ten of you!
Oh thank you, thank you, you're all so kind! So, go on to Chapter Threeeeeee....what's that? You want a teaser? Okay ^.^
Teaser: Cirrus, Gary, Ash, and Misty...and Pikachu and Moonsong, all have lunch in Goldenrod City. While Ash and Gary talk about the strange Pokemon on the strange Island, Misty treats (a patient) Pikachu like Togepi, and Cirrus and Moonsong notice a trio of People and a Pokemon, at the bar. Oooh, who could they be? And what are they doing here? And has Cirrus seen the last of her "rival"?