Spinarak and Snover

This was supposed to be a vacation, but Bugsy the Spinarak didn't like it one bit. It was cold, the snow made his colors stand out, there were so many humans tromping around in boots, and the only warm place was one that had a lot of fireplaces. However, he never got a say in the matter when his Trainer decided to take them on a skiing trip. He never got a say in anything, mostly because he was a Pokemon incapable of telepathy or articulating human words. That was especially unpleasant when his Trainer decided that he wanted to fly on top of a frisbee.

This was it, he decided. He was getting the bad end of this training deal and he'd rather escape back to his old forest home. Bugsy waited for his Trainer to get distracted in talking to other humans, then hustled along the snowy slope to reach a rocky area. While his colors would still stick out in the gray and white, there were at least things to hide behind there. He got there and looked around, still seeing the humans. Not far enough away. He headed for the trees.

Although it was cold and snowy, the trees here were full of green. Needles though, not leaves. Still, it was a forest and thus a place he liked much better than human towns. Bugsy walked until the tips of his legs began to feel numb. Since he didn't want to freeze, it would be best to find a tree to hole up in for a little while. Tie some needles together to make a small space for warmth, make a web to catch a little food, then head down the mountain once he had more energy. That seemed like a good plan.

Many of the trees were tall, but he came across one that was short. Although it wasn't even as tall as his Trainer, this one was wide, thick with needles. That seemed like a good place, so he climbed to the middle and looked for good branches to start a small web from.

The tree was oddly warm for this snowy mountain, but he didn't think much of it until it shook itself vigorously. "Huh, who's there?" a nearby Pokemon voice said.

The tree whirled around, making Bugsy dizzy. He had barely managed to keep his grip with his too-cold legs; only the thread he'd been spinning kept him on. Securing himself in place, he said, "J-just a spider. Don't mind me."

"What's a spider?" The tree raised its two largest branches, reaching back but not quite touching him.

"Someone who should be in a warmer place," he said. "Sorry, are you a Pokemon? I thought you were a tree."

"I am a tree! And a Pokemon!" It laughed. "Are you a Pokemon too? I wish I could see you, but you're on my back.'

"Yeah, I'm a Pokemon," Bugsy said. "I was just trying to warm up. This place is much too cold for me; I should've left when we were at the bottom of the mountain, but my patience has run out."

"I don't go to the bottom of mountain much," the tree said. "I'm a Snover, we live for the snow! I've been traveling to lots of different peaks lately. I guess it would be different to visit the bottom once in a while."

"If you could do that, I'd be grateful," he said.

The Snover swayed, making Bugsy feel ill. "Okay! But if you should live in warm places, what are you doing up near the peak?"

"My Trainer brought me here."

"What's a Trainer?"

Bugsy brushed his front legs over his eyes in disbelief, immediately regretting it as that made his head cold. "Don't you know? They're humans who train Pokemon."

"What's a human?"

"They're..." He rubbed his front legs together while his thread was keeping him on the Snover. He couldn't barely feel them. "Well, they're not Pokemon. They're not even that strong on their own. But they can do all sorts of things that Pokemon can't, especially making things. They're kind of mysterious that way, even if they're all over the place."

"I've never seen a human," the Snover said. "They sound so awesome! Where are they?"

Without really thinking about it, Bugsy answered, "Well there's a group of them with their machines not too far from here, off in the direction I'm facing."

The Snover turned around quickly again, nearly throwing Bugsy off. "Really? Wow, I wanna meet them! Let's go!" It started running past the other trees.

Bugsy gripped on tight in fright. He was trying to get away from them, not go to them! When he started to protest, the Snover slid to a stop as he'd arrived right at the ski lift's drop-off zone. The Spinarak climbed up to the top of the Snover, to look around and see who was there. Thankfully, his Trainer didn't seem to be around. Instead, there was a group of teenagers and adults talking and laughing together, preparing the head down the mountain on their skis and snowboards. Some of the boards were sitting on this flat area of snow, waiting to be ridden.

Flailing its arms around in excitement, the Snover hopped over to the humans. "Wow, you're funny looking creatures! Why do you have so many different colors, different from each other? What's all that metal stuff with the branches overhead? What're you doing? Who are you all?"

"What a cute Pokemon," one of the teen girls said, coming over to pet the Snover with her gloved hands. "He's even got a little passenger."

"Huh, I wonder what this one is doing here," one of the adults said. "We've had reports that Snover can be found on other mountains, but we've not had any show up here."

"I'm traveling," the Snover said. "And I want to know all about you!"

"Um, the humans can't understand Pokemon," Bugsy said.

"Whoa, really?" it asked, twisting a little in trying to find him.

"Right, that's one of the mysterious things about them," he said.

"All right, you all better start heading down before this place gets too crowded," one of the adults said.

"We can walk with them to the bottom to get you to warm places," Snover said, watching as the humans finished checking their gear.

"They're not going to walk," Bugsy said.

"Then how're they...?" the Snover started to ask. Then a few of the teenagers started heading down the slope on their skis and snowboards. "Wow, that looks fun! I wanna try!"

"You probably shouldn't," Bugsy said, but it was too late. The Snover was already running for the slope. Jumping on one of the unclaimed snowboards, its momentum carried them both over the edge and down the slope.

The snowboard picked up speed alarmingly fast, causing the trees to sweep by in a green and white blur. The Snover started flailing its limbs again; the snowboard swerved in response. Being more careful, the tree Pokemon started leaning back and forth. "I can control it, wheee!"

Afraid of what would happen to him if he jumped, Bugsy crouched down, shuffling needles aside to get secure. "This is making me sick," he murmured.

"We need to go faster!" the Snover said, twisting its body around to figure it out. By scrunching down and leaning its trunk forward, it managed to do just that.

Bugsy looked ahead, hoping the end of the slope would be in view. But no, what he saw was worse. Right in their path, there was a large pile of snow flanked by two large pine trees. Was there a rock there? "WE'RE GONNA DIE!"

"Wheee!" The Snover guided the snowboard right between the trees, causing them to hit the snow pile. However, the side they hit was angled just enough for them to slide right over the snow and high into the air. The winter sun flashed like a lens flare and there seemed to be nothing stopping them from crashing right into the ground to get smashed to a pulp of needles and spider legs.

Somehow, that didn't happen. The Snover managed to land the snowboard in order to keep zooming down the slope. Fearing another close call, Bugsy shut his compound eyes and tried to bury himself in the Snover's needles. They might just be soft enough to cushion his fall if something terrible happened.

After a few more terrifying minutes, the Snover turned wide one last time and tumbled backwards, laughing with mirth. Bugsy found himself squashed between a tree and snow, something he hadn't ever thought might happen. He dug frantically through the snow, trying to get himself free. Sticking to that Snover had been a mistake. He popped out into the sunlight, breathing a sigh of relief that the ordeal was over.

"Bugsy, what're you doing there?" a familiar voice called. His Trainer was leaning overhead, grabbing hold of him with damp gloves before he could think to run. He was much too cold to go fast anyhow. "Did you make a new friend? I saw him jumping that ramp; he's got to be the most awesome Pokemon I've seen!"

"Yay!" the Snover said, raising its limbs high.

Bugsy groaned, giving up for now. "I'll get away from this madness, someday..."

…

Snover Diamond entry: It lives on snowy mountains. Having had little contact with humans, it is boldly inquisitive.

Spinarak Soul Silver entry: It spins a web with fine – but durable – thread. It then waits patiently for prey to be trapped.

haha! ... I got nothing to say.