Chapter 3: Can't escape the cool

'Prof! Get your lazy butt over here!' *splat*

'Your student is in serious need of assistance!' *splat*

'Wouldn't it be bad if the last person who saw me before I went missing was you?' *splat*

'Damn, ran out of mud balls.'

As the Tentacool began rolling up more mud along the bank, the professor, who didn't even seem to notice the ever growing trails of mud near the lake, wandered about the ruins much as he always did. So obsessed with research.

'I've seen the inside of those ruins, you know? Nothing in there is more interesting than a pokemon in a place it doesn't belong trying to get your attention... You know, except for the reality changing kids drawings that put me in this situation.' *sigh*

'Been a few days now, and these damn noodle arms of mine are still seriously bad at throwing! I'm sorry human arms, I'll never underestimate your practicality again!'

'Ah, but I've got my daily routine. In the early mornings when the professor gets here, I throw mud! Hopefully one day I'll have made enough to create some kind of message that not even a foggy brained old man like him can't ignore... though with my current arm strength I've only been able to make a single "H"... without the middle line.'

'After that, I make up a few more balls and catch any fish that happen to wander by. Only a few though, can't risk over fishing in this lake. There's only so much to go around and about two dozen other pokemon to share them with! Although I guess the Goldeen are mostly just eating the weeds that grow around here. But I don't wanna take food out of those Magikarp's mouths if I can help it... they outnumber me 13 to one.'

'In the evening I usually swim around and try to figure out how this body of mine works. I can swim just fine! Well, I can swim as fast as a newborn of 5 days at least. Hey! I'm still growing! Can barely use a few moves though, so I'm no good at battling just yet. Not that I make a lot of enemies living this quiet life.'

'Oh yeah, speaking of which, here comes this a-hole. Right on time, here comes big pincer swinging Krabby scuttling by. It's a trainer's pokemon, I think. A neglectful trainer, most likely, judging by how poorly behaved it is.'

The crab snatches up more fish than it can eat, using it's claw to bash any pokemon that wander close enough. Many of them bear scars from trying to fight it away to protect their limited food source.

'I really hate that guy.'

'But forget him! Escape is my number one priority!' Finishing up crafting tomorrow's mud, the jelly man leaves them by the bank to dry and goes about swimming practice. Today's breakfast would be a light one, the pokemon around here are looking thinner than usual today.

'I wonder... how long can this last?'