From: Adrian Tymes <wingcat@pacbell.net> Subject: Re: [PW!] Jingle Bellsprout Date: Monday, December 27, 1999 11:30 PM Maria Rocket wrote: > Maria withdrew her hand and smiled. "I know." She grasped his hand. "Now > let's go find something to eat...I'm starved!" > > "MEOWTH!" Slasher was glad Maria had finally remembered. "Meow!" He just > hoped they found a place that served fishstrips on Christmas Eve. > > Just then, Professor Oak turned back across the Pokemon Center to greet them > again. "Mimic? Ah, there you are. Now, then, I...young lady, just what *are* you doing?" Maria looked at the professor, actually level with his eyes. "Taking him out to dinner. What's it look like?" Oak blinked. "Umm...that is, you know..." "She knows." Mimic barely met Oak's suprised look. "Mimic...wonder if Oak mind dinner with us? Mimic no want leave Maria, but Maria hungry." "MEOWTH!" "...and Slasher, too." "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." TBC?