From: Susan <dragon0313@aol.commies> Subject: Re: [PW!] Christmas Is Such a Magical Time Date: Sunday, January 02, 2000 8:00 PM >"You! The girl with the Ponyta and Oddish, come on down..." Santa calls Mandy >up, >while Santa's Jynx and a Mr. Mime wearing a Santa hat emerge from the nearby >caravan carrying a large wooden box with magical designs on the side. > >Mandy climbs onto the stage as the audience applauds. She waves to them, then >shakes Santa's hand, "Okay, I'll be your volunteer as long as you don't make >me sit >on your lap..." She smiles when Santa sweatdrops. > >Santa takes a nice long look at the teenage girl who volunteered to be his >assistant. The hazel-eyed teenager has long dark brown hair that falls to her >waist. She wears a blue t-shirt and jeans, which match nicely with her denim >jacket >and baseball cap. Her fashion seems impeccable, at least to the man wearing >the >ridiculous red and white suit. Santa places his hands on his belly and laughs >heartily, "My, my, such a pretty young assistant! What is your name, miss?" > >"Shouldn't you know that, *Santa*?" Mandy starts out being a little >difficult, but >quickly changes her mind and says her name loudly, so that the audience >members can >hear her, "My name's Mandy, and I promise that I haven't been naughty..." > >Santa strokes his beard and raises one of his thick white eyebrows, "Any >relation >to Mandi the Magnificent, the great sleight of hand artist but horrible >Pokemon >trainer? That guy really has style, though his vanity made me put him on my >naughty >list!" > >"No, Mandy's just short for Miranda, like the rights." Mandy blinks and >chuckles, >"There's actually a *guy* called 'Mandi?" > >Santa scratches the side of his head, tilting his hat, "At least I *think* >Mandi is >a guy. I think someone called Mandi a 'he' once and he *sounds* like a >guy..." >Santa stares into the distance for a moment, then turns back to Mandy, >"Anyway, on >with the show. I couldn't help but admire your beauty, Mandy, and I figure >you'd >make a great gift for anyone! So what I'm going to do is put you in this box >and >wrap it up, then I'll magically send you to the nicest boy on my nice list!" >He >winks at her. Santa's Jynx opens the magical box that she brought onto stage, >pulls >out a large red velvet bag tied with a rope, and hands it to her master. >Santa >smiles at Mandy and explains, "First, you have to step into this bag so that >you >don't escape..." > >Mandy examines the large red velvet bag, and is unable to find any air holes, >"Um, >are you sure that this is safe?" > >"Of course it is! All of my tricks are 100% safe!" Santa unties the rope >keeping >the red bag closed, opens the bag, and a full human skeleton drops out of it. >"Ehh-heh-heh-heh, that's uhhhh, just a... prop... from the Halloween party a >few >years back... Yeah, that's what it is..." Santa nods with a big grin on his >face >and motions for Mandy to climb into the now empty bag. > >Mandy stuffs one of her legs into the surprisingly warm bag, and when she >feels >that it is safe, she follows with the other one. She lifts the bag up over >her head >from the inside. Santa takes the top of the bag and ties the rope, sealing >Mandy >within. When Mandy realizes that it's awfully stuffy inside the bag, she >starts >kicking since she wants to get out, but Santa doesn't pay her any heed. The >old fat >man drags the kicking bag to the large magical box. With the help of his Jynx >and >Mr. Mime, Santa manages to stuff the large red velvet bag containing Mandy >into the >wooden box. He slams the box shut and locks it. > >Some people in the audience wonder if they should call the local Jenny to get >Santa >arrested, but they figure all the struggling was just part of the show. A few >in >the crowd clap, and others stand horrified, among them: Mandy's Pokemon. Both >Ember >the Ponyta and Amaranth the Oddish are ready to attack the fat man and his >Pokemon >if Mandy doesn't show up soon. > >"And now, my Jynx will help me wrap up the present, just like she does in the >North >Pole!" Santa nods to his Jynx, who brings out a large roll of green wrapping >paper. >After about a minute of work, the box that Mandy is trapped within has been >turned >into a Christmas gift. The box is covered in green wrapping paper that is >topped >with a large red ribbon. "Finally, I will send Mandy to the nicest boy on my >list, >whose name is..." Santa picks up a blank piece of paper and makes up a name, >"Rob! >I'm sure Rob will enjoy his present..." Santa sits down on the giant >Christmas >present and places his hands on it... > >Santa's Jynx and Mr. Mime grab a large maroon curtain and stand in front of >the box >that Santa is sitting on. Santa nods to his assistants and says, "The maroon >mantle >of mailing will multiply my magnificent magic! Wow, I'm glad I don't have to >say >that ten times fast..." Santa's helpers raise the maroon curtain up so high >that >Santa isn't visible behind it. One second after the Jynx and Mr. Mime lift >the >curtain, they lower it, and a disoriented Mandy now sits on the box where >Santa >was. > >"Wha?" It takes a moment for Mandy to realize where she is. She looks down to >check >if she's still in one piece, remembering stories about magicians who chop >their >assistants in half. She is in one piece, but something else surprises her - >instead >of her denim apparel, she is wearing a snow white gown with matching white >sandals, >"I don't remember changing my clothes..." She is further shocked when she >looks up >to see the audience applauding, despite the fact that Santa's trick went >awry. > >Mr. Mime looks shocked and confused, while Jynx's indifferent stare remains >the >same. The Mr. Mime snaps his fingers and points at the wrapped gift box that >Mandy >is sitting on. Jynx helps Mandy off the box, and proceeds to unwrap the gift >with >the help of the Mr. Mime. While Santa's helpers open the present, Mandy poses >for >the cheering crowd, blushing from the embarrassment, and slightly shivering >since >the gown she is wearing is a little skimpy, "Thank you! I have no idea how I >did >that, but thank you!" Amaranth dances around happily while smiling and Ember >stops >his hooves to clap. > >Jynx and Mr. Mime heave the large red velvet bag out of the trunk, and motion >to >Mandy to untie the rope. > >Mandy cautiously approaches the bag that she was trapped within, >half-expecting to >find herself still inside. She unties the rope that seals the bag and opens >it up, >and she is shocked when she sees who is inside - Santa. The jolly fat man >steps out >of the bag and waves to the audience, whose applause multiplies! Mandy >scratches >her head, "...but you put me in there, so how did you...? I was... I remember >being..." Santa places his gloved finger on her face and says, "Shhhh. It's >magic." > >Santa reaches into the large box that acted as the wrapped gift during the >show and >pulls out a small wrapped gift. He hands it to Mandy and speaks to the >audience, >"Well, it looks like my mailing trick didn't work, but Merry Christmas >anyhow!" > >Mandy quickly opens the box to see what her present is. She is shocked to see >that >it is her denim clothing, "What a gift..." > >"You get to keep the gown and slippers..." Santa winks at her, grabs her >hand, and >bows with her to the audience, "The amazing Mandy, everyone!" Applause >increases >and money is thrown onto the stage. Santa throws a pellet, which releases a >cloud >of red and green smoke. When the smoke clears, not only is Santa and his >helpers >missing, but Mandy's Pokemon are also missing from the audience. After >clapping a >while longer, the crowd goes back to Christmas celebrations. > >* Inside The Multi-colored Caravan (aka Backstage) * > >Santa pulls off his hat and eyebrows, then struggles to pull off his beard >until he >remembers that it is glued on, "Little help here, Xerox?" The Jynx rummages >through >a large trunk, pulls out Krazy Glue remover, and proceeds to apply it to >Santa's >face until his beard comes off, revealing Santa's true identity - Marvin the >magician! Marvin pulls off his gloves, "That was a really good show, >everyone! >Famifax, please show our guest to the dressing room so she can change back >into her >clothes..." > >Mandy and her Pokemon have been standing in shock for a while. They have been >looking around at all the crazy ornaments on the wall - such as a one way >sign that >points both ways and a mounted Magikarp that reminds Mandy of Hurricane. The >hazel-eyed girl dressed in the white gown is further shocked when a girl who >looks >*exactly* like her, down to the dark brown hair follicles that hang around >her >waist, walks up to her and points off to the corner of the caravan where >seemingly >thousands of costumes are hung. The Mandy look-a-like explains, "Thass my fun >funny >clothes place! Juss change there, girlie. An thanks fer the body, iss totally >supacute! Fersure!" The clone slides her fingers down her body and giggles! > >Bozo, the Mr. Mime, pulls off his silly Santa hat and throws it to the >corner. He >points at the discarded garment and sticks his finger in his mouth, to mimic >puking. Bozo stomps away to his corner of the caravan, sits down, and mimics >calling his agent. > >The Jynx, once done getting Santa into a more comfortable shirt, grabs a >novel off >the floor and goes off to read it. > >Mandy watches all this, wondering if she's been transported to Wonder Land, >"Uhm... >Santa?" > >"The name's Marvin..." The magician sighs while sinking into his green bean >bag >chair, "Thanks for volunteering. I just brought you and your Pokemon here so >you >could change back into your regular clothes. You were great, by the way!" >Marvin >reaches for his bag of potato chips and remote control, and turns on the TV >to >relax, "Ohh, look, it's the Miracle on Scissors Street - Brock actually finds >a >girl who likes him- Suzie! It's a purely fictional work, of course..." > >The Mandy replica called Famifax places her hands on her hips and taps her >sandal-clad foot, "Mandy-gal, c'mon, go change! If ya don't likes tha ugly >clothes >that Marvy-man gaves ya, ya can pick from mineses! Accessorize! Heehee!" >Famifax >grabs Mandy's hand and drags her towards the clothing racks. Ember and >Amaranth >follow, but Famifax puts up a sign that reads: "Do Not Disturb!" When the >Ponyta >and the Oddish begin to sulk about, Bozo sighs and calls them over. In an >attempt >to make the Pokemon feel better, he begins to perform a private miming act, >just >for them. > >Marvin smiles at Bozo, who is pretending to be trapped in a snow storm, and >says, >"Wow, even a usually grumpy disgruntled Mr. Mime is in the Christmas Spirit! >I >simply love this time of the year, it's so very magical. Why, you could even >say >that..." Marvin grabs his special megaphone, and sings out in Nurse Joy's >voice, >"...it's the most wonderful time of the year!" "Thanks for the outfit," Mandy said as she left the changing area. "I can't even imagine how you pulled off that stunt...unless you had a psycic pokemon using teleport!" "Nah, magic fersure," Famifax drawled. Marvin agreed. Amaranth pranced up to Famifax who was still in her Mandy guise and jumped into her arms. Ember trotted over to the right Mandy. "Thanks for calling me up. It's been fun. I've got to find my friend now," Mandy said as she turned to leave. "You've been a great sport. Bye," Marvin said, turning from the tv. "Bye Mandy-gal!" "Where is Ron?" Mandy asked Ember and Amaranth a little later. They'd wandered for a while to no avail. "Dish.. Oddish." Amaranth was getting better at speaking Oddish talk. Mandy was getting better at interpreting it. "You're right. He just might be at the hotel." They walked quietly to the hotel, and found Ron sitting in the lobby. "Geeze, I've been looking all over for you!" Mandy yelled at him. "Don't be so shocked. I got a room for us, instead of staying at the center. This place even has a pool." Ron swept the hair back from his eyes. "You can be so frustrating. That was nice of you though." Later that day Flipper was splashing in the pool with Hurricane. The two had hit it off in the Cerulean gym and now were having a talk while Mandy and Ron were swimming laps. (Translated from Poketalk) "Ron seems uneasy," Hurricane said. "He should be. He had me out earlier to talk, and he says that he's beeing forced to get Mandy to join team rocket." Flipper was happy to have someone to talk to. "Why? He's not a member." Flipper did a sort of Lapras-style sigh. Sometimes it was tough talking with a Magikarp who wasn't as intelligent as he was. "Yes he is. He's on assignment to fit in as a budding trainer and use that cover to steal Pokemon." "Oh. Should I tell Mandy?" "No! Ron needs to tell her himself, or she won't trust him!" The conversation was cut off as Mandy splashed over. "Hi guys. Having a nice swim?" "Karp!" "Ras!" "That's good," Mandy hugged the Magikarp. She didn't notice the trainer standing on the side. -Susan, Jedi Hamster Official WDTSF Spontaneous Vocalization Specialist; Director of Unexpected Screaming. Defender of truth, justice, freedom and hamsters. Contact my hamster at Dinsdale@rinkworks.com.