Started: 8th February 2023
Edited and Finished: 11th February 2023
71 days,
Unknown Street, Hollywood, Kanto.
14th February 1990. 06:16am.
It felt as though he were ascending to Arceus– not that his young mind had fully wrapped around what that meant. Strong, yet gentle, front legs were relaxed on either side of him and although he was only partially aware of his surroundings he knew that he was purring. He also felt the Persian laying behind him occasionally lick his short, soft beige fur. The land around him was vast and he could not pick out any colours and shapes other than blurred shapes of other Meowth and Persian.
It felt perfect, utter joy radiated through his very being and he could tell that the other creatures were feeling the same way that he did. It was very quiet other than the sounds of shuffling cat-pokémon.
Even though the young boy could not see any signs of nature he could still feel a cool breeze upon his face causing his whiskers to sway slightly and his ears to twitch– that part, he decided, was annoying.
He didn't know why but he hated instincts.
He lay there for another few peaceful minutes, or maybe it was another hour?
However long it was, Meowth started to feel odd. This felt wonderful but what was it?
Then he felt himself freeze up, his tense limbs twinged uncomfortably, was he dead?
He quickly shook that feeling off, he would know. He smiled and turned his head to gaze at the Persian behind him, quickly recognising her as his mother. She gazed back at him with a soft look on her face.
Meowth shivered, the odd feeling suddenly came back but this time it was even larger than before. He shakily got to four paws, he felt intensely heavy– as if he were carrying another Meowth on his back– but he still stood there trembling, wondering where he was and what his next move would be.
Suddenly the other pokémon turned to look at him expressionlessly, making the child even more confused and uncomfortable than he was before.
"What is this place?" He asked awkwardly but, to his shock, the words sounded distorted and incoherent to the point where even he hadn't understood what he had said. As soon as the strange 'words' had left his mouth the expressions of the other cats had changed from blank to…angry….?
Immediately the sense of safety that he had previously had dissipated and left behind a massive feeling of worry and dread.
He stumbled forward a few steps and then slowly turned to look at his mother.
She looked mad too. Why?
Hastily, visions of her abandoning him a few weeks ago came swimming back and he started to back away, terrified eyes unable to move away from his mother's.
Then, he felt his rump crash into something. He quickly broke eye-contact with her and worriedly gazed up at the Persian he had just bumped into.
He was paralyzed.
He couldn't move as the massive cat opened its jaws, teeth as sharp as razors reaching towards the defenceless kitten's neck.
Meowth felt his small heart pounding against his furry chest.
He was going to die.
71 days,
Unknown Street, Hollywood, Kanto.
14th February 1990. 07:27am.
A large CRUNCH echoed through Meowth's ears, startling him awake. He immediately sat back on his hind legs and reached his muddy front paws to his throat, sighing in relief and letting out a small sob-induced hiccup.
His vision was still blurred but instead of being the same short sightedness that he had just experienced, it was most likely due to the tears freely flowing down his cheeks.
He wiped his sore arms across his eyes and weakly stood up, realising with a small sense of relief that he was still in his box which was serving as makeshift shelter for him. Thankfully, he had no new injuries, whatever that was he hoped to never experience ever, ever again.
Reaching his paws over the top of the box he tried pushing himself up to no avail. Grumbling angrily, he backed up a bit and crouched– Tail slightly wagging side to side in concentration– and then he leaped.
It didn't go as planned however, he nearly made it over but his front left paw hit the edge of the box, throwing him off balance.
He landed outside the box but had hit his head painfully on the concrete floor in the process. He rubbed a paw over his injured face and let out a small whimper, still having not fully processed what had happened. His other front paw had landed under him and it was twisted at a painful angle under his weight.
He tried standing again— and succeeded— but his front paw throbbed painfully causing him to let out another stifled sob and stumble backwards, slumping against the outside of his box.
He felt himself jump as he heard another rustling sound— similar to the one that had woken him up. He slowly stood and slunk along the side of the box until he could poke his head around the side of it and peek at whatever had made the noise.
His ears pricked up, it was a rattata scavenging through various pieces of scrap down the alleyway. He could feel his mouth start to water. Food. He was starving, he hadn't eaten for a few days because he found out that the paper-like stuff that previously surrounded the food tasted horrible, even if he did get a few crumbs out of it. He decided that he'd only eat it again if he was really, really hungry.
But, for now? The plump rat was looking very enticing to the hungry boy.
He slowly moved away from his hiding spot and crouched, sneaking towards the unaware mouse.
He was close, so close. He had never eaten meat before but he could smell it from being only a couple steps behind the rat and it smelt so good.
Then he leapt.
The rat was on its back, facing the kitten face-to-face, with Meowth's claws against its throat.
Meowth giggled, the creature was wriggling about, trying desperately to escape— it was kind of funny.
Then he looked at it curiously, fear was covering its entire face— even if he didn't touch it, it would probably be scared to death. He frowned, it looked tasty but he didn't want to hurt it. Wasn't it living, like him? He tilted his head and moved one of his paws back to the ground in front of his back paws.
Instantly the rat Pokémon was moving more rapidly, Meowth just stood there. After a few more seconds the purple Pokémon had slipped out of his grip and was running down the alleyway.
Meowth frowned as his stomach rumbled, then he sighed, he could find something else to eat.
