Subject: [PW!] A Trip Down Memory Lane Date: 08 Jul 1999 20:19:56 GMT From: mobius101@aol.compactpika (Maria Rocket) Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon It was coming through the grass. And no matter how much she wanted to, she wouldn't let herself run. She had been too afraid to face it before....but now that it was coming to her, she didn't care anymore. She just wanted it to end. Hearing the rusting of the leaves and grass, she was deaf to all else, including the growls of her Meowth and the questioning quacks of her Psyduck. Then Maria saw the huge shiny blue eyes staring through the grass. They looked right though into her soul, and she felt a chill. I remember you.... There was a fuzzy blue light. Then it all came back to her. And unlike her dreams, this felt as real as the fateful day itself. *** The little girl ran though the streets, clutching her Jigglypuff. Her mean sister was somewhere behind her, and if she didn't keep going no doubt she'd get beat up again. It wasn't her fault her Jigglypuff could beat the stuffing out of Maggie's Growlithe puppy. She didn't make the other kids make fun of her for being beat by a balloon Pokemon. But of course Maggie took it out on her anyway, the big meanie. Old Man couldn't help her here, so she ran. Out to the fields, where she and Fluffy were always safe. No one could be mean to them out there, that was their place. "You okay Fluffy?" The little Jigglypuff jumped from her arms to the grass. "Puff!" "Oh, I hope you'll be okay, I don't think Old Man has any potions left...." "Jigg." Maria sat in the grass and began pulling up stalks to braid. "Y'know Fluffy, no one believes you can talk when you go on like that." "Jiggly!" "See, there you go again!" Maria looked up at the clouds floating overhead. "Hmm...Old Man keeps telling me that when I'm old enough I can take you on a Pokemon Journey. You know what that is Fluffy?" "Puff!" "Oh." Maria was quiet a moment. "I guess it'd be nice to get away from Maggie....but I'd miss Old Man." "Jigglypuff." "Pewter City gym.....that's in Pewter City, right? Maybe....might get in trouble going down there. Would be neat to see though." "Jigglyyy!" Fluffy hopped to foot to foot. Maria reached out and hugged the Pokemon, squishing it. "Fluffy, it'll be fun!" She looked up as a clock chimed somewhere in town. "We'd better get home so Old Man doesn't worry." "Puff! Jigglypuff!" Fluffy ran off. "Hey, not so fast!" Maria chased the Jigglypuff out of the fields and into the dirt roads. As she broke into the open she noticed a fancy black car driving out of town. It was headed straight for Fluffy. Maria gasped and darted out. "Fluffy, watch out!" "Puff!" The black car screeched to a halt as Maria ran in front of it. Fluffy jumped into the air and Double Slapped the windshield, smashing it in. Then it stood in front of a bewildered and shaking driver, puffed up and waving its stubby arms threateningly. "Omy.....ohh...!!" The driver freaked out and dashed out of the car. "Little girl, are you alright!?" "Jiggglyyyypuffff....Jiggglyyypufffff....Jigggglyyypuffff Jiggglyyyyyy...." Maria stood from where she crouched unharmed to find the driver asleep in the road. "Fluffy....why's he taking a nap in the road?" "Puff?" "You don't help..." She snatched the balloon Pokemon from the car. Just then, the side door opened up. Maria slowly looked over. A rather scary looking man in a red suit stood there, glaring down at his driver. "Blind as a Zubat..." He grumbled. Then he noticed the windshield. "Damn! What the hell did he do!?" "PUFF!" He looked down again at the sound of the angry Jigglypuff, and noticed Maria for the first time. "Oh." He was the picture of suppressed anger. "Little girl....didn't your mother ever teach you not to play in the streets?" "I don't have a mother." He looked somewhat irritated. "Well, surely your father..." "I don't have a father either." Maria blinked up at him. "I have a Jigglypuff." The man raised an eyebrow at the annoying child. "I see...you should keep that thing on a leash." "JIGGLYPUFF!" Fluffy inflated angrily. The man was looking around somewhat anxiously. "Listen kid.....don't tell anybody about this, okay? You didn't even see me." She stared. "Who are you?" "Nobody. Got that?" He put a hand to his temple as Maria just continued to stand there staring blankly. The driver continued his little nap in the road. "Look...." The man in the red suit reached into his pocket. "I'll do you a favor if you'll just agree to keep quiet." "Huh? What kind of favor?" Maria looked suspicious. "Usually when her sister talked of favors, it involved taking a long walk off a short cliff, and that short of thing." The man drew a sparkling silver gem from his pocket. "This is a Moonstone. That...." He nodded towards Fluffy, "is a Pokemon with a Moonstone evolution." Maria looked down at Fluffy. "What's that mean?" "Puff...." "It means it can change your Jigglypuff into a Pokemon that's bigger and stronger. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Give you an edge when you want to be a Pokemon trainer." He turned the stone in his hand so that the sunlight glinted off it. Maria shrunk away. "I don't know....Fluffy's afraid. And I don't want him to change...." "Just let me do this for you.....so all of this can be our little secret." A somewhat sadistic look crossed the man's face. He was an ugly man.....it scared Maria as it came closer. But the stone he held in his outstretched hand scared her even more. Finally she screamed. "NOOO!!! DON'T! GET AWAY! Leave Fluffy alone!!!" She moved to get away, but he was faster. The Moonstone came in contact with Fluffy, and Maria dropped the Jigglypuff in fright as it began to glow intensely. "Trust me.....this is for the best." The man snickered as the Pokemon began to grow. When the light finally faded, Maria's big brown eyes grew even bigger. In Fluffy's place was now a rather large Wigglytuff, with saucer-like blue eyes and long rabbit-like ears. Maria's eyes filled with tears. Fluffy was gone.... "Wigglytuff!" Maria screamed. "NOO!!!" She ran off into town as fast as she could go. She didn't look back at her Pokemon or the man in the red suit. All she knew was terror and loss.....and the world suddenly seemed very lonely. Meanwhile, Giovanni watched her run off with a look of disgust. "Ungrateful brat...." He looked to the road, and found that the Wigglytuff had disappeared. He blinked. "What in the..?" With a growl, he turned to kick his driver back into wakefulness. He had to report a homeless child to the authorities after all... *** Maria stared at the Wigglytuff. "Fluffy." "So you do remember me." "So you really *can* talk..." Maria's eyes widened. "Only to those who would listen." The Wigglytuff looked sad. "And now though you abandoned me, I would very much like it if you'd listen to me." Maria just nodded slowly. TBC! ~Maria R "Psy yie yie..." ----- Tha webber: http://hamstergirl.cjb.net/ ----- "Taking Pokemon straight from your pockets, With the power of the stars, it's Maria Rocket!" -My corny PW! motto ^.^; --- Rocketshipper Forever! --- TEOTWAWKI