POKEMON A.R. ------------------------ The Hidden Nation Series ------------------------ Walkin' Trouble (PROLOUGE) PART 8 Our main character has managed to get himself a water stone! But concerns have been voiced about the stone's possibly WEIRD effects. Will Tyler still use the stone despite the possible off-conditions? Can he *not* use it, knowing how much Poliwhirl WANTS to evolve? And what of Jesse and her mother's pseudo-plot to see Jesse as more than just a friend? Only time will tell as the three drive back to Jesse's house to try the stone out. ========================================================================= PokŽ Petstore's Parking Lot --------------------------- "I can't believe such rubbish." Eileen said in a semi-rant, "The very idea that evolution stones could cause such symptoms is preposterous to say the least!" "It doesn't matter mom." Jesse told her, "We're not going to let that stop us... besides, it might be neat to have green hair." Poliwhirl shook his head as he, Jesse, and Tyler got into the backseat of the car. "Still," Eileen said as she started up the car, "it's all really just the PokŽ-Petstore's way of getting those stones. You heard what that man said... they're able to hold onto the stone parts now AND they're able to charge you per evolution instead of selling you a stone and wondering if it will work forever or not... it's all just corporate greed. And don't even get me started on the 'PokŽmon Fanclub' nonsense." She took the car out of the back parking lot and got on the ramp back to her estate while Jesse tried to make conversation with Tyler. "You don't really think you'll end up with white hair or something, *DO* you Tyler?" Jesse asked. Tyler had been staring out the window, deep in thought, and now turned to face Jesse. "I guess not." he said, "After all, how many people use these stones anyway? If it was likely to happen, it'd happen a lot, right?" "Yah, I guess." Jesse said, "Listen, don't get too pressed with mom dumping on the PokŽmon Fanclub... it's just that she and they don't see things eye to eye and it gets her upset." "I understand." Tyler said, recalling how upset he often got when recalling the bridge expansion... the thought *still* made him want to-- "Home already!" Jesse's mother said, pulling the car into the expansive driveway, "I was hoping you'd stay awhile for some late lunch Tyler. I can have Cook make anything you'd like." "I..." Tyler began, feeling more and more like he was being spun into something... a spider web perhaps?, no, too tame... "Oh please Tyler!" Jesse said, "I really wanna show you around my house. And we could even evolve Poliwhirl here if you want." "Sure." Tyler said uneasily, "I mean, Ms. H said I could be with you today." "Excellent." Jesse's mother said as she parked the car, "We'll head inside, you can tell Cook what she'll be serving, and Jesse can show you around until the food's done." They exited the car and Jesse's mother led them inside. She rang a rather LOUD gong, summoning a BEAUTIFUL woman (which got Tyler's interest despite his seeming lack of hormones) known only as Cook. She was wearing a normal chef's outfit... nothing revealing or anything, but her dark hair, fair skin, and curvy outline made one forget about the outfit altogether. "Mistress would like?" Cook said respectively to the woman of the household. Tyler couldn't hear, naturally, because he couldn't help but stare at her gorgeous-- "Our guest will be choosing lunch today." Eileen said, "Just tell her what you'd like to have Tyler, and Cook will arrange it." "I'll have her--" Tyler said, staring, then regained composure, "I mean, I'd have her cook some rice pasta with a white clam sauce... if that's OK." [Author's note: They're in Japan so they use rice as a grain-- get it?] "Ah..." Cook said, mistaking Tyler's delay for not wanting to impose on the household, "A fine choice sir. I'll have Pennyworth summon you when lunch is served." "Coo-hool." Tyler said, stuttering somewhat as he *tried* to take his eyes off of Cook. "With your leave Mistress." Cook said, bowing to Jesse's mother. Eileen waved her off and Cook made her exit into a side alcove through a servant's passage. Once Cook was out of site (yet still in Tyler's mind...), Eileen turned to her daughter and her guest. "I have some things to attend to before lunch, so I'll see you in the dining hall Jessica. Until then, why don't you show Tyler around?" "Alright mom." Jesse said, grabbing Tyler's arm, "Come'on Tyler, you haven't even seen half of the place!" * * * Jesse had been walking fifteen minutes, pulling Tyler along behind her as she gave descriptions and histories of every little detail of the estate's gardens, pool, pokŽmon stalls, architecture, just about everything; with Poliwhirl moving behind them, slowly moving, watching, and waiting for his chance to evolve. "So it's all actually built using a special steel/cement mortar and heavy clay brick with a polymer plastic coating to protect against any type of weather; even hurricanes and tornadoes." Jesse said, describing the brick alcove she was dragging Tyler along, "But enough of that boring stuff. Here's what I *really* wanted to show you." Jesse let Tyler go and, while he got feeling back in his arm, she opened a large door they had stopped in front of. "This is my room." she said, stepping inside and inviting Tyler and Poliwhirl in. Tyler, despite feeling funny about going into a girl's BED-room, entered, expecting to see pink lace and unicorns or something. But instead-- "Whoa!" Tyler said, "This is pokŽmon trainer's central!" Lined across the walls (which were a shade of blue, not pink) were numerous PokŽmon League posters with pokŽmon I.D.'s and maps of various gyms across the entire Democratic Republic. And instead of the dolls Tyler expected to see he saw life like battling pokŽdolls (which seemed to transcend gender... in at least that *he* wanted some). "Pretty cool huh?" Jesse asked Tyler. He nodded. "I love the dolls." he said. "Thanks..." she said, a note of disappointment in her voice betraying her sorrow over not having the more designer dolls seeping out. Before Tyler could press, Jesse changed topics. "Heh, listen." Jesse said, "I've been pretty inconsiderate. You probably want to evolve your Poliwhirl and all--" "Yah." Tyler said, only now, past the episode with Cook and the boredom of the tour, remembering Poliwhirl. He turned to face his first pokŽmon, pulling the evolution stone from the shopping bag he held. He stopped though, and looked back at Jesse. "You can evolve him here, it's OK." she said. "OK." Tyler said, "Ready then, Poliwhirl?" "Poly." it said, nodding. "OK..." Tyler said, looking at the stone. How did it work anyway? He remembered seeing other trainer just holding it out at their pokŽmon. But still... what if the stone did something to him like those other stones did to those people Karl talked about? He held it out at Poliwhirl and after a moment it and the frog- like pokŽmon both began to glow. "Poliwhirl?" Tyler said, the momentary blaze of the light blinding him. "Hey," Jesse said, "I've never seen a stone get THAT bright!" "Ah." Tyler said as the light died down. He opened his eyes to see his new pokŽmon. "Ploy-*wrath*!" Poliwrath said. The final evolution of the almost frog-like pokŽmon resulted in a semi-muscular version of Poliwhirl with an almost constant hard stare that was almost built into the pokŽmon's features. "Tyler!" Jesse said pointing. "Oh no, I don't have white hair do I?!" Tyler said, feeling the top of his head, semi-afraid. "Wha?!" Jesse said, confused, "Oh, no, it's not that! It's just that your Poliwrath... it looks awesome!" "Oh." Tyler said, feeling stupid... and kinda giddy all of a sudden... "This'll be great Tyler." Jesse said, "Poliwrath'll be your best pokŽmon yet... and a lot of pokŽmon can get whailed on by fighting types." "I... guess..." Tyler said, butterflies developing in his stomach. "Tyler, what is it?" Jesse asked, afraid he wasn't happy with the way Poliwhirl had evolved. "I don't..." Tyler began, not feeling too good. The giddiness was quickly turning into nausea[a sick feeling] and everything was getting hazy. Tyler did his best to stay upright... "Tyler!" Jesse screamed as he slumped onto the floor and passed out. She stared for a moment, disbelieving, then ran to the intercom by her door and called her mother for some help. She laid Tyler flat on his back and then got to the phone, dialing for an ambulance. * * * A Void... in the subconscious perhaps? -------------------------------------- Weird. I kinda feel neat... like I'm floating. What is this anyway? I'm not dead, am I? No... there's no bright light so I guess not but... this is just too strange. I can feel things... no, I KNOW things. Tyler thought out everything as he vaguely felt tingles... he KNEW he was being moved... he 'felt' Poliwrath near him... and later he felt Jesse, and some time later still even Jackii. He couldn't see anything but he KNEW they were there. He felt their worry... but he felt WAY too good to even care! He kinda felt time pass... but again, he mostly didn't care. He was checking things out where he was and it felt kinda enlightening... like for instance: he knew why he liked Fall so much now; he had remembered ONE memory of his mother where, although he couldn't recall her face, he KNEW it was her... he was SMALL, maybe one or even younger, and she was holding him in her arms. It was Autumn and the leaves were many colors and she was talking to him... he couldn't recall the words, save that they were good in reference... put sad in the telling somehow; but he KNEW they were about his father, whom he had no memory of, despite how hard he tried to-- And that was it... one memory, maybe five minutes long, just laying happily there, but it was enough. Weird how the subconscious worked, he decided. He began to feel out further on the pastel black void. It was kinda neat. ANY event he ever lived he could revisit... at least what his mind had locked away from them. He went through, however, to EVERY moment from his furthest past he could find (he found that, the older the memory, the less likely he was to find it in the blackness) until he-- A vision? HE saw a pokŽmon and an image of himself... but then the other him and the pokŽmon opened their heads and each took half their brains out! The pokŽmon and the other Tyler switched pieces and put them in their heads. It was totally absurd but the images looked so lifelike. "Weird." Tyler thought, "What am I seeing here?" The images changed, and soon he saw Jackii, Jesse, Lil'Jim (why did he see him?!) and himself all wearing pokŽmon outfits!... he and Jackii wore Pikachu suits, Jesse a Horsea suit, and James a Sandshrew outfit. "I..." But the image wasn't over... several pokŽmon came out, including his, all OBVIOUSLY pokŽmon but wearing plastic people face masks over their heads. 'They' and the pokŽmon then all started dancing... "OK, either SOMEBODY has given me some STIFF dope back in reality or I need professional help." Tyler thought. But then, just when Tyler was fed up, he saw himself, healthy, sitting at a table eating oatmeal of all things... as he ate, he saw red ness that he assumed was warmth go into 'his' body... but then the 'Tyler' went away, and all that was there was a red out line, LOOKING like it was sitting, but there was no chair OR table! Then, the outline of red moved it's 'arm' to where the table had been, and scooped some of some redness from where the oatmeal SHOULD'VE been, and add it to the outline of the redness. "Whoa..." Tyler thought, "I'm dreaming in metaphors!" "It's your spirit." a far off voice said... a girl's voice? "I don't get it." he said, not paying attention to the fact he was no longer alone in his head and merely focusing on his lack of understanding. "We exist on a spiritual plain... your body, the world, it's all temporary... it's just a dream, it's not real. As soon as you pass on from this world, you'll be truly free to exist in your natural state... this dream you're seeing is basically telling you that." "So..." Tyler said, watching as the outline ate, "When this 'me' is eating, he's not using silverware really?" "In a way..." the girl's voice said, "More accurately, there is no spoon to begin with." "There is no spoon... I gotta remember that one." Tyler said. He heard the girl 'giggle' and managed to feel her-- he 'knew' she didn't laugh much... why not? That wasn't normal, he didn't need this, not here. He pulled himself away into his mind and began to flow deep into his mind. "Hello!" a girl's voice said to him, pulling him from flowing. It was a pretty voice, and it's owner seemed... afraid? Of *him*? Why? It really didn't make sense... especially when he felt that, while she was scared, she WANTED to find him... And how did he know all that from just hearing her voice? ...Or *did* he even HEAR her? WAS it hearing? He felt 'her' move closer to him... trying to find him... he pulled himself away, afraid. But of what? He began to want to wake up... this wasn't just a fun ride in his head anymore... who was this? No answer, just a flurry of... energy? He felt her move wildly, trying to find him somewhere... he too moved, trying to outguess her, trying to get away-- until they met in the void. For one moment, he felt... he felt *her*... and then-- * * * Sunnytown Hospital, Ward 2: 2 days later ---------------------------------------- "Oooohhhh dang..." Tyler said, blinking his eyes. His head felt like it was on fire and as he tried to see, he only made out a white blur. Still, it was better than... than what? HE already couldn't remember... "POLY!" "Tyler?" "Oh my gosh! Somebody call Ms. Hannigan!" "I'll get the doctor." "Ooohhhh..." Tyler said, waking up. He felt a prick in his arm where an I.V. had been put in to feed him intravenously[feeding a person straight into their bloodstream, not very appetizing, trust me] and weak all over. "Tyler, are you OK?" Jesse's voice came to him. HE made her out when his eyes had adjusted and had seen her, looking at him, "I'm so sorry!" "You should be." Tyler said, sitting up... or at least trying to, "I see you but no pasta... where's my food? And what's with this tube crud?" Jesse, not looking like she'd gotten much sleep, merely hugged him, crying as she did. "Poly." "Poliwrath... hey buddy..." Tyler said weakly. "Tyler." Jackii said from the side, "What happened?" "I already told you." Jesse snapped, "And the only thing we have to worry about now is Tyler." "Calm down everyone." yet ANOTHER voice said, "Now please, move away from my patient." "OK." Jesse said, releasing Tyler from her embrace but still looking at him. Tyler turned to see the new visitor. "Now," the brown haired man said, pointing a medical flashlight into Tyler's left eye, "how are you young man?" "Stuck in a hospital bed... I think, with only a hospital gown on and a person I've never seen before shining a light in my eye." Tyler said, "If I had to make a diagnosis I'd say I wasn't doing too well." The man laughed. "Don't worry too much." he said, "This thing is actually benign... in fact, from the tests we've done, it may revert." "What?" Tyler said, "What's going on? You mean this passing out thing reverts? I hope so because--" "What?" the brown haired man said, "No no... you see young man, the sort bout of blackout you experienced is only the symptom of what has happened." "What do you mean?" Tyler said, still VERY groggy from his dream- like experience, "What happened to me?" "Well," the doctor said, "you're suffering from evolution stone DNA-transmutation from that water stone you used." "Yah, sure." Tyler said, not feeling too good, "Now can'ya please tell me that in English Doc?" "Well," he said, "the stone changed your DNA ever so slightly... causing you to become unconscious while your body made the genetic changes in your cell replication." "Oh." Tyler said, now feeling tired, "So... I'm not going to die or anything, am I?" "Goodness no!" the Doctor said laughing, which annoyed Tyler... until he realized how many people the Doctor must've said: 'yes' to, and that it must've been a kick to be able to say 'no', "You HAVE undergone some odd changes, but you'll develop normally... you'll just have odd pigmentation." Pigmentation? Like pigment... the way the colors in plants was described... did he mean his color would be weird? No... he couldn't have *white*(white-white, not the peach color we call white for skin) skin, could he?! "Can I see a mirror?" he asked. "Oh yes." the Doctor said, "Your vision is quite acute and--" "Let me rephrase... may I have a mirror to use for a second?" Tyler said, annoyed. "Of course," he said, hesitantly pulling out a small mirror from the side washroom[they have them in all the hospital patient rooms *I've* seen], "but I warn you... this may come as a shock..." This made Tyler the more anxious to see himself. He took the mirror and looked-- "I..." he said, shocked at what he saw. "It doesn't look that bad," Jackii said, trying to be kind, "really." "It actually looks neat." Jesse said, trying to smile. "Poly, Poliwrath." the pokŽmon said, mentioning how he liked the color. "Oooh!" Tyler said, wishing he HAD died, "How can I face anyone looking like *this*?" * * * [Author: Yes, Tyler HAS changed... check in NEXT month to read the next exciting fic part to see how he's changed... I gotta tellya, it's a shocker!] || \/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pikachu's Fanfiction Archive: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Teahouse/1260/index.html Please email all submissions t-- HEY, WAITASEC! THERE'S MORE FIC LEFT! WE ONLY WENT THROUGH HALF OF THIS PART! || \/ [Author: Heh heh... sorry, couldn't resist jerking your chains like that. I SERIOUSLY couldn't. ^_^ BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! >reader smacks me< OWIE! It was just a joke, read on...] || \/ * * * "Well," the doctor said, "you're just lucky you have your hair AND eyes match... I've seen mixes. And there are worse colors than blue." "Like?" Tyler said, running a hand through his now ocean blue hair and staring into his equally blue eyes in the mirror. After spending the first eleven years of his life with brown hair and eyes, this was just about as horrid as he could imagine. "I had a mix of green AND yellow eyes with white hair on a patient once." the Doctor said, "FORTUNEATLY the eyes reverted to their natural color." "Reverted?" Jackii asked. "Well," the Doctor said, "not ALL cases of DNA-transmutation due to evolution stones are permanent. Some go back to their natural state, meaning they get their old hair/eye colors back." "You said *I* might get reverted like that?" Tyler asked, hopefully. "Well," the Doctor said, "we took some hair follicle samples when you first came in and ran some tests on them while you were unconscious and the changed DNA patterns were already beginning to degrade." "SO this will go away?" Tyler asked, hopefully. "Well," the Doctor said, "there's a chance you could totally revert to normal... but it's also just as likely you'll always have a slight blue tinge to your hair and eyes... or you could have a different color eventually emerge... or that only your hair will revert... or yet still that you'll have mixed pigmentation of a bluish brown... This hasn't exactly been fully researched yet." Tyler sighed. "Can I just go home please?" "We need to keep you here another day for observation in case you have another bout of induced unconsciousness for DNA changes, but after that, I don't see why not." "Thank you Doc." Tyler said, "Just one more thing though." "Yes?" "The stone... will it do this again?" Tyler asked. "I don't know." he said, "But *you* don't have to worry about it. Once a person is affected by a stone like you have been, they can't be affected again... that much we do know. Still, I'd keep others away from it... there's a 15% chance the stone could build another wild charge and affect someone else. Not good odds, but there's a chance." "So *I* could use my stone, and others, again?" Tyler said. "Of course." the Doctor said, "Just take a brake before you do. I have no clue how a stone's charge would affect you in *this* condition." "Thanks again Doc." Tyler said. "No problem." he said, "And as for--" "Doctor Proctor to the front desk..." a voice over the hospital intercom caller, interrupting, "Doctor Proctor please report to the front desk... Superintendent Pace is here." "Yes!" Doctor Proctor said happily, "I'll get that transfer THIS time for sure!" He looked to see everyone else staring at him and sweatdropped nervously. "Don't worry," he said, laughing nervously "I wouldn't leave a patient hanging... I'll leave ONLY when I'm sure everyone under my care is OK. For now I can't do anything more, so if you'll all excuse me." "Good luck!" Jackii said as Doctor Proctor left the room, closing the door behind him. Tyler let himself fall back onto his pillow from his semi- sitting up position, still tired from everything. "Listen, Tyler... I'm really sorry." Jesse said. "For what?" Tyler said, "You didn't change my DNA, and it's not like I'm dying or anything." "Still..." she said. "Just drop it, please." Tyler said, exhaustion getting to him, "If it makes you feel any better, I just want you to know I'm grateful for the stone." Jesse sighed, her hours of worry and waiting as well as making hectic trips to the hospital during visiting hours catching up with her. Jackii spoke up. "I'm just glad you're OK." she said, "Is there anything we can do?" Tyler started to breath harder, trying to stay awake... he wasn't passing out but he WAS falling asleep, and this was important. "My... pokŽmon..." he said drowsily, "Jes... Jackii... until I get better... watch them..." "OK." Jackii said, smiling at her friend. "Anything." Jesse said. Tyler smiled and closed his eyes. After a minute or so he was asleep. "We should go." Jackii said, seeing Tyler wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. Jesse and Poliwhirl nodded and the trio left. "Now what?" Jesse asked, once they were outside of Tyler's room. "We go home." Jackii said, "And we come back tomorrow during visiting hours incase Tyler's released." "What about Tyler's pokŽmon?" Jesse asked, "How are we going to set this up?" "Well, that's simple." Jackii said, "There are 4 pokŽmon and 2 of us. We each take two home and come back during visiting hours." "OK." Jesse said, finding that reasonable. The two girls made their way to the hospital back lot where Jesse pulled out Tyler's pokŽbelt which she'd held onto so that she could immediately give them back to Tyler when he got out. Squirtle, Pidgeotto, and Psyduck all emerged in blazes of light as she released them from the pokŽballs. "AHHHH!" Squirtle said in pokŽ-language once he saw where he was, "We've been kidnapped by the Amazon Duet!" "Calm yourself tiny turtle." Poliwrath said, "There is no need to fear." Jackii and Jesse watched as the frog-like pokŽmon explained the situation, not letting them get a single word in edgewise... but were dumbfounded since it was all in pokŽ-language. Jesse took the opportunity to use her cell phone and called her mother. "Tyler'll be OK right?" Psyduck said worriedly when Poliwrath had finished explaining. "The Proctor that was the Doctor assured us as such." Poliwrath said, "And he *seemed* competent." "So now we get to choose which deranged trainer to be held captive by... *greeeeaaaaat*." Squirtle said. "Deranged though they may be, 'twas the trainer's instructions." Poliwrath said. "OK," Squirtle said, HOPING Tyler wasn't just handing them over to Jesse and Jackii because he was doped up on morphine or something. When the pokŽmon finished talking, they stared at the two. After a moment or so, Jesse got the hint and turned to Jackii. "Now what?" Jesse asked, getting confused by the situation. "I think we should decide which pokŽmon we take home." she said. "POLIWRATH!" the frog-like pokŽmon said indignantly. "OK..." Jackii said, sweatdropping, "THEY choose who to go with." "You're going to let them boss us around?" Jesse said. "Are YOU going to tell *THAT* pokŽmon otherwise?" Jackii said, pointing to the buffed up Poliwrath. Jesse sweatdropped. "I see your point..." she said, "OK, well... I know! You three are water pokŽmon, right? Well, I got a pool at home you can swim in and a chef who can make you anything you want." "What about me?" Jackii said, jealously momentarily getting the better of her, "What pokŽmon do *I* care for?" "Duh." Jesse said, "I have an Ekans at home I'm borrowing... Pidgey's and their evolutions HATE Ekans type pokŽmon!" "Oh yeah..." Jackii said, "It'd suck to have her lay an egg and have it get eaten." "WHAT?!" Pidgeotto said indignantly in pokŽlanguage, "Like I'm some sort of HUSSY to have a nest without a lifemate... the *NERVE*!!!" "Hey, *we* know you're honorable." Squirtle said, confused and tired from everything, "Let them think what their gutter-trash filled minds want to." "Really?" Pidgeotto said, actually in a semi-emotional state over the unintended insult that occurred too soon after the horrid news about Tyler. "Verily, you're honor is beyond reproach." Poliwrath said. "What he said." Squirtle added with a comforting smile. Pidgeotto cooed a 'thankyou' as Squirtle put an arm on her shoulder. "Then I think we should do that then." Jesse said, seeing the squawking die down, "After all, it'd be best for the pokŽmon." As Jesse motioned to the three water pokŽmon to go with her, a loud call stopped her in her tracks. "PSYDUCK, PSY!" Jackii looked down to see Psyduck holding her leg. "What's wrong Psyduck?" she asked the pokŽmon kindly. "I wanna be with you!" Psyduck said in pokŽ-language, which came out a "Psy-y-y-ey-duck!". Jackii tried to get him off but the determined little duck-like pokŽmon wouldn't budge. "Well," Jesse said, semi-perplexed, "I guess if he'd rather stay with you, he should. I mean, they're going without their trainer so we can do this for them... if nothing else it's a good idea to keep them calm." "Alright." Jackii said, "Pidgeotto, Psyduck, lets go home. I'm sure we can find you two something to eat... I already know Psyduck's favorite!" "PSY!" Psyduck said happily as Jackii put him in the basket on her bike. "Seeya tomorrow Jesse." Jackii said, waving as she started off. "Count on it." Jesse replied, not totally hating Jackii anymore, but not willing to let her have an extra second with Tyler either. "Take care of the kid!" Squirtle yelled in pokŽ-language to Pidgeotto as Jackii went on her way back. "Will do!" she said as she flew, following Jackii and Psyduck. As soon as they were gone, Jesse looked at the two pokŽmon. "My mom'll be here to pick us up in a bit. You'll love my place, really." she said, hoping not to incur the wrath of Poliwrath and Squirtle. As they waited, Squirtle and Poliwrath began to talk. "You REALIZE what's going on here with our babysitter right?" Squirtle said. "Verily." Poliwrath said, "The lass doth speak in her slumber, you see. From what I could pertain, she and her spawner hath put a plot in motion to gain our trainer's affections." "If that means you heard the girl talking in her sleep about how she and her old lady are plotting to get Tyler in some love nest then, yes." Squirtle said, noting how Poliwag had more and more changed with each evolution... hopefully he couldn't evolve again or else he might not be able to understand him at all. "Quite." Poliwrath said, "And now our trainer himself has changed somewhat... And, on another odd notice, he understood me, tiny turtle." "What?" Squirtle said, disbelieving what he took to mean-- "There were times, just two days past, when he and I actually spoke in sensible conversation." Poliwrath explained. "I believe you believe what you're saying here," Squirtle said, somewhat shaken by the idea and not quite believing it, "but Poliwrath, I am willing to bet he was guessing really well. After all, how COULD he understand?" "Perchance you are correct in thine fancy, tiny turtle, and thence he guessed... would this *still* not be an event considering he was able to grasp my meaning?" Squirtle thought about that. "I guess." he said, "But lets not waste time arguing about stuff we don't know... let's just survive tonight and get some answers tomorrow." "A wise concurrence, tiny turtle." Poliwrath said. He stood next to Jesse, determined to obey all orders given to him by her as Tyler's request hinted he would have wanted. Jesse just thought it was weird to see pokŽmon chatting so much, seeing as they really couldn't have much to say; but she WAS glad they seemed to have calmed down. * * * Sunnytown hospital Ward 2: That next morning -------------------------------------------- "Hello?" Jesse knocked on Tyler's room. The door opened, with Ms. Harmon answering. "Hello Jesse," Rachael Harmon said, then, looking behind her, added: "and hello to you too Eileen." "Hello." Eileen said, "Is Tyler ready for visitors?" "He's more than ready." Ms. Harmon said, "In fact, he's already been discharged, I just came to pick up some of his things I'd brought when he first came in." She came out of the room, holding a large canvas tote bag, and she closed the door behind her. "Where is Tyler now?" Jesse asked. "Follow me." Ms. Harmon said, being as polite to these two as she felt she should be. She led them to the outer parking lot where, in the orphanage's transport van, Tyler was buckled in, already chatting with Pidgeotto and Psyduck. Upon seeing Jesse, Pidgeotto sqwuaked, which let Tyler know she was here. "Jesse, where were you?" Tyler asked. "Mom and I went out to get you these." she said, handing Tyler several pokŽmon trainer magazines. "Cool, thanks." Tyler said, taking a quick look at them, "Where's Squirtle and Poliwrath?" "Here." she said, handing Tyler two pokŽballs. When he looked at her oddly, she said, "I did that to smuggle them in for you so you could be with them after visiting hours... I kinda told them I would." Tyler smiled, realizing Jesse must be warming up to pokŽmon. He summoned them and was a delightful surprise to the pokŽball's occupants. "Lookin' good!" Squirtle said to his trainer when he saw him up and about. "Tis a pleasant site for mine eyes!" Poliwrath added. "Hi guys." Tyler said, "Good to seeya." "Get in and ready to go Tyler." Ms. Harmon said, putting his belongings in the back compartment of the van. Tyler motioned for his pokŽmon to climb aboard the van. He waved to Jesse and her mother before closing the side door. Ms. Harmon turned. "You can visit him when he's settled in." she said to them, "And I'm sure your gesture was seen for what it was." As Rachael Harmon turned to get into the driver's seat, Jesse called to Tyler. "Seeya later!" she called. Tyler rolled down his window. "Tomorrow at the park... I'm having my first game." he said, "Everyone says I'm OK and the Coach doesn't care... will you come?" "Sure!" Jesse said. Before anything else could be added, Rachael Harmon started the engine and drove away, doing her best to cut the conversation between the two short. "Well that was a total waste of time!" Jesse said as the van pulled out of site. Her mother laughed. "Really?" she said, "All I saw was that Tyler invited you to his little sports game... which means he still likes you." "You think so?" Jesse asked. "Of course." she said, "For now, don't worry about it. Let's not waste today either. Would you like to go to the Downtown Plaza and see what fun we can have?" Jesse sighed... mom WAS right, everything WAS OK... and it would be a waste to do nothing for the rest of the day. "OK." she said, "I was just hoping... well... Still, it's better that he's OK, right?" "I know what you're trying to say." her mother said, smiling at her as she led her daughter back to the car. The bonding she and her daughter were doing more than made up for any minor inconveniences. Jesse had been denied some of the more frivolous things growing up like getting out of school on kid day or getting the more glamorous pokŽdolls, but her mother had hoped Jesse would understand it was meant to help her gain character... fortunately, it seemed that Jesse was getting the message. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pikachu's Fanfiction Archive: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Teahouse/1260/index.html Please email all submissions to: Sailorvoid@hotmail.com * * * PokŽmon is copyright 1995/1996/1998 Nintendo/Creatures/Gamefreak Tyler Trawets and Jackii Wipple are internet creative property of Stewart Hart and the PokŽmon A.R. group.