From: Maria Rocket <mobius101@aol.compactpika> Subject: [PW!] Excuuuuuse me, Princess! Date: Tuesday, January 04, 2000 12:03 PM >"Well...sure, why not?" Oak shrugged. "I was starting to get hungry >myself. And if dinner's the price of finding out just what you've been >getting into, it's a bargain." He turned to look over his shoulder. >"Nurse Starr! I'm going off duty now. *Try* not to neglect your >patients this time." > >The nurse favored him with an insulted pout as the four left. > >"So, any preferences?" > >"MEOWTH!" > >Maria scratched Slasher behind his charm. "I think Slasher wants >seafood." > >"Well, how about over there?" Oak pointed to a restaurant across the >street. A neon crab outline highlighted three words: The Golden >Kingler. > >"Meowwwwwth..." > >The three ran quickly to catch up with Slasher before he could crash >into the fully stocked mini-aquariums that stretched along the full >length of the restaurant's front windows, just behind the weather glass. > >Much later... > >Slasher lay curled at Maria's feet, a post-meal catnap setting in with >full force. > >"My word, that certainly is a hungry Meowth. I've never seen one eat >four plates of fish in one sitting." > >"Yeah, well, he hasn't had seafood in a while." Maria watched Slasher's >tail flick as he lapsed into REM sleep. > >"Apparently. Anyway, Mimic, what have you been into? I saw you at >Replicus's challenge battle. Something tells me you were more than just >a bystander..." > >"Mimic was. Show Doppler how ressurect dead." > >Maria choked, unnoticed by either of her awake companions. > >"What do you mean, 'ressurect'?" > >"Mean what sound like. Doppler friends recently dead, Mimic pull souls >back into bodies and reattach. Mimic think Doppler friends learn." > >"And where did you learn how to do that?" > >"Mimic no learn. Mimic come up with trick; just apply other tricks >Mimic learn." > >"Uh huh..." > >"Mimic also...well, Mimic try find self. Maria help. Mimic no want be >merely sum of what Mimic learn." > >"Maria? What about that one you were with last time you saw me? What >was her name?" > >"...dead..." > >"What was that?" > >"Quethiril dead. Mimic see. Mimic...think Mimic have suspicions about >murderer, but no have proof. Even body stolen after Mimic see; Mimic no >can get evidence now." > >"I'm sorry..." > >Mimic glanced at Oak with a hint of contempt. "No be. No really knew >her." > >"Mimic..." Oak sighed. "When you get like that...I worry, sometimes, >that you're becoming more and more like your brother." > >"Hmph! No need worry about that. Mimic *NEVER* become Doppler, not >unless Mimic *become* Doppler." > >"Uhh...could you..." > >Mimic closed his eyes, clearly trying to contain something. > >"...right. Anyway...Maria, was it? Tell me about yourself, and how >you met Mimic." Maria glanced up shyly from her glass of fizzling soda. She had been listening as Mimic and Prof. Oak had their discussion. Now she turned a straw among the ice cubes in her glass very slowly. "Well... I've pretty much been wandering since I graduated from Pokemon Tech. Training pokemon is what I do...as for how I met Mimic.. We met aboard a cruise ship...the SS Anne, I think it was." She took a sip through the straw. "He took me by surprise." She smiled at the memory. "Did he now...?" Oak watched her curiously, then suspiciously. "Mimic does have a way of doing that." He stroked his chin and looked away in deep thought. "He was a handful back at the lab. I took to keeping a pokedex handy for everytime he went hiding." "Oh?" "Indeed. The worst time I ever had finding him was that time I had that assistant from Cinnabar Island... She was an aspiring breeder, and one day she decided to attempt breeding Mimic and Doppler." Mimic suddenly choked on his glass of water. Maria reached over and began swatting him on the back. Mimic quickly recovered and took another long drink. "Dear me..." Oak continued, "Good thing I found out...but both of them had hidden themselves very very well before I got there. It took three days to find Doppler, and two whole weeks to find Mimic, about the same time that assistant left my lab." "Mimic glad when breeder give up," Mimic grimaced. Before anyone could comment further, two loud voices broke out towards the front of the resturant. Drawing all eyes, it appeared to be a blonde woman and a guy in green cap. A waiter had apparently stopped and taken something from the man, though not easily. The blonde finally had to reach over and drag her companion away. What they were arguing about wasn't clear since they were speaking a decidedly foreign language. Until the woman pushed by her companion in a huff and smacked a hand down on the front counter. "A table for two, and please hurry...!" They were seated near Oak and the others. When the guy began snapping at something unseen over his shoulder to 'put a sock in it', Maria suggested it was probably time to get going. "Meooowthh..." Slasher stretched on the floor and padded after them. On their way out, however, the guy in the green cap caught Mimic by the arm. "Hey, hold on." Mimic blinked down at him in surprise. "Hold on to what?" The guy gave him a strange look, then shook his head. "Nothing...hey, is that your girlfriend?" "Umm..." "Look, just take this." He put an envelope into Mimic's hand. He glanced over at the blonde. "We were going to the bash in Celadon, but something's kinda come up." "Something *always* comes up," The blonde muttered. "Hey, I'm not the one with voices in my head," Her companion shook his head. "Really, what do you expect me to do about it? Anyway..." He looked back towards Mimic. "Why don't you and the lady have fun, there's even PidgeotAir tickets in there." "Mimic..." Mimic was rather confused. "Trust me, I'd have to throw it away if you didn't take it." "He means to say thank you," Maria smiled nervously and quickly pulled Mimic out of the resturant along with Prof. Oak. Slasher snatched a fish stick from a table before following them. He heard the blonde lady complaining to her companion again. As the Meowth escaped out the door, a twist of his tail sent a large broadsword that was leaning nearby clattering to the floor. The last thing he heard was the guy in the green hat stuttering on a comeback before settling on: "Well...Excuuuuuuuuse me, Princess!" *** "Indigo Plateau gets visitors from all over, especially during the games," Prof. Oak explained as they walked through the village. "Many even from far beyond the Pokemon Island." "Well, that certainly was strange," Maria turned the envelop Mimic had received curiously. "Well, strange seems to be the order of the day..." Oak gave Mimic an intrigued look. "Mimic, you've held that form for well over an hour now. I can't remember the last time you were one form for an extended length of time." "Mimic be Mimic....Mimic explain, Mimic believe." Prof. Oak drew Mimic away from Maria momentarily. "Listen Mimic...I'm your friend, you know that." "Mimic know." Oak smiled. "I'm glad...and I want you to be careful. I think she's a Rocket." "Big red 'R' kinda give away...but Maria ATR...or at least Maria believe that for now. Mimic feel either way, Maria no betray Mimic. Maria beginning to see, Mimic think. Maybe Mimic find self, then Maria can find self too. Understand?" "Perhaps. But again, be careful. Don't let yourself become what she wants you to be. If you're going to find yourself, remember to look inside *yourself*, not others. Don't let your emotions cloud your sensibilities." Mimic shook his head. "Oak worry too much. Mimic not cloud." Oak raised an eyebrow. "Maybe not. Just take care." "Mimic will. Goodbye Oak." "Until next time, Mimic....drop by the lab anytime." He waved with a smile and turned back towards the Pokecenter, feeling somewhat uncertain. Indeed...he hoped to see Mimic back at the lab soon. He just wondered what Mimic would come to him then. Mimic was watching Oak go, when Maria took possession of his arm from behind. "So...what were you two talking about?" "Oh...Professor and Ditto chat. Nothing important." Mimic turned around. "Off to Celadon then? Mimic have feeling should head that direction anyway." Maria scooped up Slasher. "Definitely. Sounds like a party....and I'm a blast at parties." She snuggled up to his arm. Mimic gave her a wary look. "Mimic...no doubt that." TBC? (Okay now, who recognizes the exact reference in the title? ^_^; ) ~Maria R "Psy yie yie..." --- http://purplestudio.webjump.com --- "R is for Rrrah...Rrrah...Rocket!" - Meowth --- Rocketshipper Forever! --- TEOTWAWKI