"Dad?" Said a 10-year old girl from her bed. She looked up at her father sadly.
"What is it?"
"Nobody likes me because I'm different. I'm not like the people outside the mansion. They don't have the powers I have. Nobody likes me!"
"It's ok, honey, " The father said, putting a comporting arm around his daughter as her eyes began to well up with tears. "I'll go find you some friends, ok?" Her tail swished back and forth excitedly.
"Really? They won't care that I'm different?" The girl said happily, looking up at her father.
"I promise! Now I'll go find them, ok?"
"Go Dad! Go!" The girl said, cheering her father on as he set her down on the bed and left the room.
Outside the large bedroom that his only daughter inhabited, the man thought as he walked down the large hall. What to do? Who would be his daughter's friend? It was so unfair that they treated her like this. It wasn't her fault she was a Pokémorph. She was bright, sociable, had a great sense of humour, and was always fun. But everyone was afraid of her. If only there were others like her...
----------------------------------
"Sparks? What's up?"
Seth's Manectric suddenly stopped, standing up straight and sniffing the air. Suddenly one of Kip's Pokéballs opened, and his Raichu appeared, sparks flying from its cheeks.
"Quickzap? What's wrong?" Kip asked his Raichu, who was staring out into the open plains before them.
"Rai, Raichu!" The Raichu said suddenly (Note: This is the first time in RG that a Pokémon's actually said something like this. See what I mean by getting more episode-like?). "Chu?"
"Any of you got a clue as to what it's saying?" Kip asked. Gaby nodded.
"He says that there's a presence. Sparks feels it too. It's a really weak signal, but I think it's coming from over there," Gaby said, pointing east. On the horizon there was a mound that Gaby identified as a mansion.
"Should we go check it out?" Lily asked, speaking to the group. She got an answer from the Raichu when it bolted forward, zooming ahead of them towards the house.
"Let's follow!" Seth said, hopping onto his Manectric and bolting forward as well. Gaby picked up Kip and started levitating after them while Kieran piggy-backed on Lily as she flew.
The small mouse-like Pokémon was running as fast as it could, trying to get to the mansion. Suddenly it stopped, looking quizzically at the small shape coming towards them. The others stopped too.
"What is that?" Kip said, straining his vision. Gaby's eyes widened as she realized what it was.
"QUICKZAP! MOVE!" Gaby said, dropping Kip and levitating the Raichu out of the way as a car zoomed by. One second later and the Pokémon would have been flat. The car stopped.
"HEY!!! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE DRIVING THAT THING!!!!" Kip yelled at the driver as Gaby deposited the Raichu in his arms. The driver's door opened and a man stepped out.
"Well-" The man said, about to retort. But then he caught sight of Pokémorphs and gasped. "You...You're...!"
"Yeah, you're point?" Kieran said, who was still on Lily. The man looked so happy, it was disturbing.
"I can't believe it! Pokémorphs!" The man said happily, running up to them. "Come with me. Please! I'll explain on the way!"
"Why should we trust you?" Seth said. But even as he said it, Sparks zapped him. That meant 'yes', in a very painful way to poor Seth. To top it off, Quickzap smiled and jumped out of Kip's arms, landing in front of the man. The man beamed.
"This is great! Come on, there's no time to loose!"
They returned their Pokémon and got inside the car. On the way, the man was explaining.
"You see, my daughter is a Pokémorph like you three..."
"A Pokémorph?!" They all exclaimed.
"Yes, a Pokémorph. My late wife, Sarah, was a Pokémorph. She died when little Kati was 3. Ever since then, she's had no-one but me in her life. None of the kids from miles around here will come near her. She's so alone. And her only other friend, Patch, has gone missing."
"When did patch disappear?" Kieran asked.
"Patch, who is a Pichu, disappeared 3 months ago. We've no idea what happened to him, and ever since Kati has been depressed. Please, will you go see her? You're Pokémorphs, so you won't care about her being one, right?"
"Absolutely not!" Lily said. "Even if we were human we wouldn't care!"
"Good. We're here."
They stopped and got out. The mansion was enormous. They must have been miles and miles away for it to have looked that small.
"Wow..." Kieran and Gaby said in unison, staring up at the tall building.
"Come! Please!" The man said.
"I don't think we got your name, sir," Kip said, following after him with everyone else.
"Call me Jason," The man said, leading them up three flights of stairs into a hallway.
Inside her room, the girl heard the sounds of her father returning...But he wasn't alone! She jumped out of bed, running across the room and bounding through the door. She saw 6 figures at the end of the hall, recognizing one as her father.
"Dad!" The girl said, running forward. "You found some friends!!!"
"Yes! Now why don't we all go in your room and have everyone introduce themselves!" Jason said, leading them all into a huge room. Inside it was covered wall-to-wall in Pokémon stuff: Bags, books, toys, you name it, it was there. She hopped up onto the bed. And finally they got a good look at her in the light.
She was about 4 1/2 feet tall and had short black hair. She was wearing a t-shirt that said 'PICHU!' on it with overly-baggy jeans. Out of the back of her jeans poked a yellow and black tail that was extremely exited, wagging back and forth so fast it was a blur. Finally, her eyes were black and yellow.
"Introduce yourself," Her father said. The girl smiled at the attention.
"My name's Kati, and I'm a Pichu Pokémorph! But who are you?" She asked. Kieran was for some strange reason hiding behind everyone else.
"Well, I'm Kip," Kip said.
"Lily," Lily said.
"Name's Seth," Seth said.
"I'm Gaby," Gaby said. They waited.
"Where's the last one? I'm sure I saw another one out there in the hall," Kati said. Kieran stepped sheepishly out.
"I-I'm Kieran..." Said the little Mightyena morph timidly. Kati stared at him.
"You're about my age!" She said, hopping down from the bed and walking up to Kieran. His face was turning bright red. She giggled and put her face under his bent one. He jumped. She laughed.
"Well, now that you're all here, what do you want to do?" Kati asked, looking around. Suddenly one of Kip's Pokéballs opened, and once again Quickzap appeared. Kati gasped as she saw the Raichu.
"Wow!!!!! A real Raichu!!!!!" She said, bending down to it's level. Quickzap walked forward to the girl.
"Rai?" it asked curiously. The girl gasped.
"I can understand it like I understood Patch!" She said. The Raichu's eyes widened.
"Rai Rai?"
"Pichu! Pi Pichu!" The girl answered. The Raichu looked very pleased. Gaby smiled as the two continued talking to each other.
"Any idea what they're saying, Gaby?" Lily asked. Gaby nodded.
"She's asking about us..." Gaby said. She giggled. "Especially Kieran. Look at him!"
Lily looked. To her great surprise and amusement, Kieran was not boasting loudly or showing off. He was quiet, crouching down like a dog, his head bent. But even with his thick mat of black hair on his head, they could all tell he was blushing.
"Why don't we go downstairs and talk to Jason?" Gaby suddenly suggested. Everyone nodded. When Kieran tried to follow them out, Kip stopped him.
"You stay here and watch Quickzap," Kip said, turning him back around. "See ya!"
"But-" Kieran said, trying to follow. But Seth and Lily smiled evilly back at him.
"Just doing what you did to us!" They said in unison. Then they disappeared down the stairs after the rest, leaving Kieran alone with Kati. He gulped and went back in.
"So, uh..." Kieran said, rubbing the back of his head (Anime Style) like Seth had done so many times before. Kati looked up. Behind her, Quickzap was smiling as evilly as Lily and Seth had been moments before.
"So you're a Mightyena morph?" Kati said, surveying him. Suddenly her eyes rested on his tail.
Pichu instinct took over. She walked over and started batting it like a string. Kieran's eyes widened as he surprised a giggle and stepped away.
"Don't do that!" He said, trying to hide his grin. "It tickles!"
"All the more reason to, then!" She said, pouncing on his tail. He jumped out of the way. He smiled. She smiled.
"Raichu!" The Pokémon said happily.
And so Kati chased Kieran around the large room, trying to attack his tail. Kieran jumped out of the way as best he could, but Kati's speed got the better of him. She finally attacked onto his tail. Excitedly, she accidentally zapped him with electricity. Kieran fell over with the shock.
"Oh! I'm sorry! Are you ok?" Kati said, kneeling over Kieran. He opened his eyes and beamed.
"That was great!!" He said. "It works like sugar!!! Energy boost!"
He jumped up and started bounding around the gigantic room. Kati got up and began chasing after him. Then Kieran was after her, trying to catch up to her. And all the while Quickzap was happily sitting on the bed, happily taking the credit for the matchmaking. He decided that they were safe and left the room through a small flap in the door.
After at least another half and hour, the two kids were tired out. They collapsed onto the giant bed, panting (Kieran more so then Kati. He's a Mightyena morph, remember). Finally, Kati spoke up.
"Kieran...I haven't had this much fun since Patch and Mom were here," Kati said, rolling over onto her stomach to face Kieran.
"I haven't had this much fun...Ever," Kieran said, also rolling over. Kati smiled.
She's so happy! Kieran though. She's fun,, intelligent...She's way to good for a mutt like me!
He's so brave and loyal! Kati thought. He's energetic, cool...He's way too good for me!
They both sighed at exactly the same time. They both knew that their guardians would never let them stay together. It wasn't fair!
By now it had gotten dark. Kieran rolled over onto his back, trying to sort through the strange thing going through his head. He'd never felt this way before. It was as if new life was coursing through him. Kati felt the same thing.
Suddenly Kieran sat bolt upright. Kati sat up and looked at him.
"What is it?" She asked.
"I thought I heard..." Kieran said. Then he heard it. Distinct male voices...He could hear them talking far away. He focused his hearing. Suddenly they came in loud and clear.
"I thought I told you to make sure that thing was unconscious!" Said the first voice, high-pitched and gnarly sounding.
"I thought it was!" Said a second, lower and more timid then the first.
"You were supposed to make sure!" Said the first voice again.
"I can't hold on to it...It's squirming," Said the third, a deep and grunting voice.
"Oh, just do this!" Said the first. Kieran now believed that this was the leader, and the second and third were henchmen. "Dustox, put it to sleep with Sleep Powder!"
Suddenly the sounds of restraint stopped. There was a light thump as what had to be the third man dropped his package into a box.
"Once we get the ransom from that fool and his daughter up at the mansion for this little runt, we'll be rich!" Said the first. The sound of a foot kicking the box reached Kieran's ears.
"So we are going to give it over to them for the money?" Asked the third. Something about how he said it made Kieran uncomfortable.
"Oh, that's good! I thought we were going to have to kill-" Said the second, sounding relieved. But he was cut off by the first one.
"Of course we're going to kill it! We'll just take the money and leave the dead Pichu all packaged up in pieces for the girl!"
And he laughed. He laughed about what he was going to do. And now the third voice joined in with him, and then the second. They were all laughing like maniacs at their scam. And then it hit Kieran like a brick in the face.
They were talking about Patch. That was the little Pichu. There were going to kill the one friend Kati had left in her life. And they were laughing. Laughing!
Kieran had never, never been this angry before. Rage coursed through him. How could they do this?!?!?!
They wouldn't. Kieran would stop them. He had to. There was no 'try'. He had to. He would never live with himself if he didn't.
"What's wrong, Kieran?" Kati asked, noticing the look of his face. His hands clenched.
"Kati...I'm not sure how to say this, but Patch was kidnapped. There are these three men, and they plan to ransom him to you for money. Then they're going...to kill him."
"How do you know?" Kati asked.
"I have extremely acute hearing. I can't be wrong about this Kati."
"NO!!!!!!" Kati screamed. "We have to stop them!"
"And we'll need everyone's help. Come on!" Kieran yelled, grabbing Kari's wrist and bolting out of the room. They ran downstairs, where everyone was talking happily about random things. They stopped when the two kids burst into the room.
"Patch is in trouble!" Kati said.
"And these people are trying to murder him and sell him for ransom!!!" Kieran said angrily. Everyone jumped up.
"We'll have to move fast," Gaby said, taking charge. "Kip, Seth: You stay here with Jason..."
"No way! You are not leaving me behind!" Kip said. Seth nodded. Gaby glared.
"Don't argue! Stay here and get help. I'll call you for backup if we-"
"NO!!!! We are going with you!" They said defiantly. Kieran couldn't take it.
"Why are you arguing like this when Patch is going to DIE?!?!?!?!" He shouted. Everyone went quiet. Kieran decided he had to take charge. "Alright. Me and Lily will transform into our Pokémon ourselves. Gaby, you levitate behind us. You can't go in Lugia form, you'll attract attention. Kati, you stay with Kip and your dad and get help. Seth, you follow up behind on Sparks with Quickzap and Seaflyer. Understood?"
Everyone nodded except for Kati. Kieran looked at her and knew she was about to make an argument. But as soon as he opened his mouth...
"You'll need me. I can detect Patch's energy signal," She said defiantly before Kieran could start. "I trained him to block it off from anyone but me in case he was in trouble. Apparently he mastered it too late."
"Kati..."
"You know you'll never shake me off," Kati said, managing a small smile. "I'm just as fast as you are."
Kieran smiled and knew she was right. He turned back to the rest.
"We ready? Follow me and Kati up front. And stay as quiet as you can!"