Hi folks! The Improfanfic site http://www.improfanfic.com is having
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submissions is Tuesday, I'd appreciate feedback fast!
POKEMON TANG
Written 2000 by Scott K. Jamison
(Pokemon and its associated characters are the property of
Nintendo and its licensees. No infringment is intended.)
Chapter One: The Circle of Evolution
Today, Willow Ketchum's conquest of the world would begin.
Provided, that is, her hair would cooperate.
The ten-year-old looked disconsolately in the mirror. Her
orange hair refused to flow in straight lines or gentle curves;
instead it stuck out like so much unraked straw. Sure, she could
take an hour with mousse and hairspray every morning, but that was
too much work.
"Guess I'll just have to wear a scarf or something. Now, for
that final decision on my travel outfit." Willow dug through her
closet, sorting her clothes into piles.
"Willow, dear, hurry up! Breakfast is ready and I have
something to show you!" came a voice from the kitchen.
"Coming, Grandma!"
Under pressure of time now, Willow picked forest green culottes,
a royal blue peasant blouse, and her red windbreaker. She struggled
into her clothes and rushed into the dining room, where was a
bountiful feast set out.
"Morning, Grandma! Blackcurrant syrup for the waffles? Neat!"
Adelia Ketchum smiled blissfully. "It'll be your last
home-cooked meal for a while, dear, so eat hearty." She set two
gift-wrapped packages on the table, well away from the syrup, and
moved over to the vidphone.
"Let's see, what was the ID tag on that message?" She bent
over the keypad.
"Mfge?" asked Willow through a mouthful of waffle.
"Yes, your parents recorded it before they left. Ah, here it
is."
The phone's view screen sprang to life, showing Willow's
parents and Pikachu. Ash was leaning forward, taking up most of the
frame.
"Hi, Willow!"
"Move over, Ash!" Misty gave him a sharp shove and grumbled,
"My husband, the camera hog...."
"Pika!"
Ash collected himself and tried to look dignified. "Well,
Willow, we're sorry we couldn't be there for the start of your
Pokemon Journey. But Professor Oak really needed us along on this
expedition to the Forbidden Continent."
Adelia sighed. "I do hope Samuel is taking care of himself.
He's not a young man any more." The pre-recorded family members
didn't notice.
Ash continued, "Maybe you can join us when your Pokemon get
tough enough for the terrain here."
"But don't come recklessly! It's dangerous!" Misty cautioned.
Pikachu nodded from its spot on Ash's shoulder. "Chuu."
"Hey, my daughter can do it!"
"Our daughter!"
"Pika ka pichu!"
Ash coughed into his fist. "Umm, right, Pikachu. Anyhow,
Willow, we have a couple of presents to help you on your way."
Willow quickly cleared away her plate to grab the packages.
"The squarish one is from me," said her father.
Willow quickly ripped off the wrapping (little Pikachus and
Pokeballs) and opened the box. She stared appalled at what was
inside.
Ash made a victory symbol. "It's my lucky hat!"
Pikachu's ears drooped. "Chuuu...."
Misty rolled her eyes. "Ash, I thought you donated that thing
to the Pokemon League Museum!"
"No, that was the duplicate I wore in the movie. This is my
real lucky hat."
Willow stared at the hat some more. The white portions had
long since faded to a dark gray, the brim was held on by at least
four different colors of thread, and there were stains from just
about every kind of Pokemon attack known. "Yuck!"
"Wear it with pride, Pumpkin!"
Willow rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right, Dad."
Misty edged in closer to the camera. "I think my present is
just a bit more practical."
It was thin and rectangular, with Starmie wrapping paper. And
inside was a fishing rod.
"It's a top-of-the-line Seaking rod, and I put in plenty of
lures, so you'll be able to catch lots of water Pokemon!"
"Or lunch, I suppose," mused Ash.
"And I have just a few more things I need to tell you,
Willow." Misty launched into a long monologue of advice, most of
which Willow had heard before. The daughter finished her breakfast
without paying much attention.
"...and have fun!" finished Misty, beginning to pant.
"Go, Willow!" Ash gave her a thumbs-up.
"Pikachu!"
The message ended, and the screen returned to a neutral grey.
Adelia entered the dining room with a backpack. Willow
hadn't even noticed she'd been gone.
"All right, dear, I've got it all packed, so you're ready to
go."
"Aren't you coming with me to the Pokemon Center?"
Willow's grandmother smiled somewhat sadly. "I'll meet you
there. If you can't find the place on your own, there's no point
going any further, is there?"
Willow hugged Adelia. "I love you, Grandma."
"I love you too, Willow. Imagine, a third generation of
Ketchums going out from this very house on her Pokemon journey. I'm
so proud!"
"Thanks, Grandma...for everything." Shouldering her pack,
and stuffing her father's hat in one of its pockets, Willow turned to
go.
Across town, (in Pallet, that's eight blocks,) another young
person was having difficulty starting his Pokemon journey. Mainly
because he was still in bed.
"Harry, time to get up."
"Zzz..."
"Harry! Wake up!"
"Uhn? Zzz..."
"Harry Houdini Alias! You get your skinny butt out of bed,
or I'm sending Lickitung up there!"
"Aahk!" The boy threw back the covers and sprang from his
bed. "I'm up! I'm up!"
Harry ran to the bathroom. He'd already showered the night
before, so a quick swipe with a wet comb restored his indigo hair to
its customary swept-back style. Then he ran downstairs.
"Morning, Mom!"
Jesse Alias thrust a pointing index finger into the air.
"Your breakfast is already cold!"
"Sorry, Mom." Harry looked at the table, which was graced by
a microwave pizza and two cans of Poke-Cola. At least she hadn't
tried to cook today. He might not have been able to leave at all!
"Well, what are you waiting for? Eat!"
Harry and his mother sat and ate quickly.
"Okay, I'm going now!"
Jesse grabbed Harry by the shoulder. "Not in your underwear
you're not. Quick, change!"
He nodded, grabbed the tablecloth (throwing the pizza plate
to the floor), whipped it about himself, and got into his traveling
clothes.
His mother applauded. "Not bad, not bad. Let's see...black
boots, blue jeans, and a black muscle shirt. That'll look better
once you put on a little more muscle. But it's still missing
something...I know!" She pulled a drycleaning bag from behind her
back.
"Is that really...?" asked Harry, eyes popping.
"Yes, it's a Team Rocket jacket!"
The boy put on the white jacket with the big red "R"
emblazoned on it. It was three sizes too large.
"Uh, Mom..."
"Don't worry, Dear, you'll grow into it. Besides, I didn't
think to take any child sizes when I raided the old headquarters.
Ah, those were the days..." Jesse's eyes started to unfocus.
Not anxious to hear another rambling anecdote, Harry said,
"It's fine, Mom. I'm all packed."
"Good, good. You didn't forget your Global Positioning
device, or your cell phone?"
"I remembered. Geez, Mom, I'm almost eleven now."
Jesse chucked him under the chin. "Of course, Dear. Now,
when you get to Viridian City, be sure to look up your Uncle James.
But don't let him talk you into any of his get-rich-quick schemes."
"Okay. When are you two getting back together, anyway?"
"How many times do I have to tell you? James is not your
father!" Jesse huffily turned away.
Harry decided to try one more time. "Well, then, who *is* my
father? I have a right to know, don't I?"
His mother sighed. "I'm sorry, Baby, but I can't tell you
that. Someday you'll understand."
"I can't understand if you won't tell me!"
Jesse looked as if she wanted to snap Harry's head off, but
deflated instead. "Let's not fight, shall we? My little boy is
going off into the big world. I'm so proud!" Now she was crying.
Harry shrugged. He was used to his mother's mood swings,
even if he couldn't understand them. "Okay. Seeya at the Center."
His mother whipped out Rising Sun fans. "Go, Harry, go! You
can do it!"
He smiled as he stepped out the door.
It was unseasonably chilly, and a brisk breeze made Willow
grateful for her windbreaker. But the sun was shining and the birds
were singing. She strode confidently towards the Pokemon Center.
Willow waved cheerfully as she passed the market. Yes, today
was her day, and nothing could spoil--
"Hey, Pumpkin-head! You let a Doduo nest in your hair
again?"
Okay, almost nothing.
Standing in Willow's path was an all-too-familiar girl with
jet-black hair falling to her waist in elaborate ringlets. She was
attempting a patrician sneer, which didn't quite work with her cute
features.
Willow walked around the girl.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!"
Willow kept walking. "I haven't got time for this, June.
Gotta motivate."
June ran to block Willow again. "Oh right, like you deserve
to have a Pokemon."
Willow was rapidly losing patience. "Hey, my dad has had me
helping take care of the Pokemon since I was little!"
"Your daddy's a goofball! My Uncle Gary is the bestest
Pokemon Master ever! Just like I'm going to be loads better than
you!"
"Move it or I swat you," growled Willow.
"Will not! You can't make m--ow!"
Willow blinked. She hadn't done anything yet. Then she
looked at June, and saw that the other girl's ear was being firmly
held by her mother.
"Now, Dear, you know perfectly well you're only eight," said
May. "You won't be going on your Pokemon journey for two whole
years."
"But that's not fair, Mommy! Willow's dumb, and ugly, and
I'm way better than her on the simulators, and her hair looks awful!"
June stomped her foot as close as she could get to Willow's.
Willow's knuckles were turning white with the effort of not
hitting the little brat. She angled off and started running towards
the Center.
"I'm terribly sorry!" shouted May after her. She turned to
June. "I know a little girl who needs a *long* time out."
At last, Willow got to the small fence surrounding the
Pokemon Center. There was already a small crowd gathered there,
including a couple of grownups she didn't recognize holding cameras.
As she approached, they took pictures of her.
"Oh no! My hair!" She tried desperately to smooth it down,
but to no avail.
A microphone was stuck in her face. "And here we have Willow
Ketchum, daughter of famous Pokemon Master Ash! A few words for our
viewers, Miss Ketchum?"
She could feel red burning across her cheeks. "Well, I,
um,...I'm gonna be a Pokemon Master too!"
"You heard it here first, an exclusive for WPOK, Channel 45!
And which Pokemon are you going to choose?"
"Gee, I dunno, they're all good...ummm..."
"Prepare for trouble!"
"Aww, Mom...."
Willow had never in her life been so grateful to see Harry
and his mother.
Jesse grabbed the microphone. "Hello, all you lucky people!
The lovely and graceful Jesse Alias here!"
"Uh, could I have my mike back?" asked the reporter.
"Most certainly not! Every moment I hold this thing is a
moment your station's ratings go up, up, up!"
While Jesse distracted the crowd, the children headed inside.
"Nice jacket, Harry," said Willow as politely as she could
manage. It looked like a tent on him.
"Mom insisted. You know how she is. Your outfit looks
cool."
"Thanks." With all the flaws Harry had, at least he was the
one kid who never made fun of Willow's hair. He was nearly a year
older than her, and tall for his age. Grandmother Ketchum said he
was going to be a "heartbreaker", whatever that meant.
The center's current resident scientist, Bill, appeared in a
doorway. "This way, kids."
They followed him into the lab, where a transparent dome
covered an incubator-like device holding five Pokeballs.
"All right, each of you gets a Pokedex," said Bill, handing
over the book-shaped devices. "Enter your information."
Willow and Harry punched in silence for a few moments.
"I belong to Willow Ketchum of Pallet Town," said her
Pokedex.
"I belong to Hirra Elian of Pullot Twin," said Harry's.
"Spelling a weak point, eh?" asked Bill.
"Umm, yeah. Little help here?" Harry nervously flipped his
hair behind his ear.
A little fiddling later, the correct information was entered.
"It's time to choose, then. This year, we have five choices.
Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Machop. Oh, and Ekans, though I
can't really reco--"
"I choose Ekans!" said Harry.
Bill frowned. "Are you sure, son? After all, it's not a
particularly strong Pokemon, and only has the one evolution...."
"Yup! I like Ekans and Arbok!" Harry grinned widely as he
reached for the Pokeball. "Ekans, I choose you!" The snake Pokemon
appeared and wrapped itself around its new owner.
"Ekanssss...."
"Hahaha! That tickles when you put your tongue there!"
Willow didn't want to know.
Bill turned to her. "So, which one do you want?"
Which one? Her mind went blank. Yesterday, she'd been so
sure, but now she couldn't remember what she'd decided.
Willow took a deep breath, and then she knew.
"I choose--"
TO BE CONTINUED
Which Pokemon will Willow choose? Will June somehow overcome
her age handicap? Who is Harry's father anyways? You can help
decide these questions by signing up for Pokemon Tang!
Comments, all?
SKJAM!
p.s. Don't forget to sign up for Fireworks Season!
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