Episode 1:
Puffs of Joy

Author(s): IcyPikachu, Adrian Tymes, Mobius 101

Marshmallow is a small, light pink, and cute Jigglypuff. Living with Clefairies inside of Mt. Moon, she has been waiting for the day she would get to venture into the world. Since she was born, she could only remember being raised by the Clefairies. She never knew where she was from exactly. Now, she waves good-bye to her foster Clefairy parents and heads down Mt. Moon into the world.

Not knowing where she was headed, she walked west towards Pewter City. As she walked, she saw other types of pokémon she had never seen in her life. A Rattata walked up to Marshmallow. It looked at her with curiosity. Marshmallow, having never met another pokémon other than the Clefairies, was very afraid. Rattata came closer and sniffed her. She jumped back in fear. Rattata was unsure whether its find was friendly or not and not wanting to pick a fight, went back to looking for food.

Marshmallow continued on her way towards Pewter City. She met another new pokémon on her way. This one was fatter than the purple rat she met earlier and had a goldish color to it. It was a cute, little Sandshrew. It looked very playful and immediately spied Marshmallow. She froze in terror as the enormous mouse-like pokémon rushed towards her. The covered her face as best she could with her little hands. The Sandshrew gave her a big lick on the face causing her to giggle. She looked at the friendly Sandshrew, blinked, then gave it a big hug. Sandshrew was so excite to have met a new friend that it didn’t notice the pokéball flying towards him.

Marshmallow saw it, but she couldn’t warn her new playmate in time. He was sucked into the ball while Marshmallow ran for her life. Tears filed her big eyes as she ducked into a bush. The trainer looked around for her but soon gave up. He ran off, happy with his latest catch. Marshmallow continued crying. She had lost her new best friend and had a first look at humans. She didn’t like them. She was afraid of them. Tears continued rolling down her cheeks. She wished the Clefairies had told her about humans before. She wished she could have stopped the trainer from taking her new friend away from her.

With her head help low, she continued walking slowly towards Pewter. She didn’t see any other trainers or pokémon on her way there until she got to a field just outside Pewter. She was still crying softly to herself. She looked around. No trainers were in the vicinity. Suddenly, she noticed the bushes moving around near her. She covered her face and hoped that whatever would emerge wouldn’t hurt her.

An Eevee cautiously came out of the bushes. It looked worried and small tears could be seen in its eyes. It saw Marshmallow and moved closer. Marshmallow looked up. She could see the fear in the Eevee’s eyes and felt sorry for it. She walked up to it and extended her hand. Eevee, sensing she was a friend, returned the gesture by extending its paw. Marshmallow had found a new friend. She asked the Eevee why it was sad. He told her that he had lost his trainer and wasn’t used to living on its own. They decided to stick together as they entered a dark Pewter City.

Only for a pair of hands to suddenly grab Marshmallow and stuff him into a strange tube!

“PUUUUUFFFFFFFF!!!”

“Got ‘im.”

“One shot for the Wigglytuff launcher. Where’d you say that Caterpie wave was?”

“Over that way. One shot oughta disperse it. Ready, aim, FIRE!”

*FWOOSH* “PUUUUUuuuuu...”

The Eevee growled at the two humans for a moment, then ran after his new friend.

A few seconds later, in another corner of Pewter City...

“...uuuuuUUUUUFFFFFFFF-“ *WHAM*

Seth and Aerie knew the sound of an incoming Wigglyweapon by heart, thanks to their training at Rocket Academy. Both of them dove for the ground instinctively, not even glancing at Marshmallow. Mimic was still on the ground, and Slasher’s life flash was only just now getting to the latter part of his kittenhood.

When the expected explosion failed to occur, Seth and Aerie looked up, to see a Jigglypuff embedded in an impression in the nearby cliff wall.

Aerie traced back along the line of fire, but no assailants presented themselves. Indeed, few people were even in sight; most of Pewter City was still taking cover from the Caterpies. “Who’s firing Jigglypuffs at us?”

“Must not be too professional, whoever it is.”

“How do you know?”

“Jigglypuffs don’t always explode when they’re launched from Wigglytuff launchers. Given the velocity that was travelling at, I’d definitely say it was a relatively high-powered weapon...which means it was made for Wigglytuffs.”

Aerie smacked a fist into an open palm. “Whoever it is, I think someone needs to teach them a lesson about gun safety.” She stormed off, back the way Marshmallow had come from.

“Aerie...” Seth sighed; he knew what that voice probably meant. “They won’t learn anything if they’re dead.” He ran off to try to stop her.

Mimic, meanwhile, slid out from underneath Slasher and examined the Jigglypuff. It seemed to be stunned more than anything else, so, having nothing else to do - and implicitly having been designated the one to atch over Slasher until he came to his senses - he refomed into a dull- bladed Scyther, and tried to level Marshmallow out.

He did not quite suceed before the Eevee came bounding up. Seeing what looked like two other pokemon attacking his new friend, he growled, bristled his fur, and stuck his tail straight up...

...only to get a Jigglypuff to the nose when Mimic finally popped Marshmallow out.

Marshmallow regained consciousness and looked the Mimic and Eevee. Eevee was still rubbing his nose after being hit inthe face by Marshmallow.

She went over to him and asked him what had happened.

“Some humans took you and fired you out of some sort of cannon...,” Eevee told Marshmallow.

“Called Wigglytuff launcher,” interjected Mimic who was now in Ditto form.

“Who are you? Are you friendly?” Marshmallow asked Mimic. She was still a little shaken up by the launcher.

“Mimic friendly. Mimic help Jigglypuff. Jigglypuff have name?” Mimic asked.

“I’m called Marshmallow. I came from the mountains over there,” she pointed in the direction of Mt. Moon.

“Mimic see. Eevee is friend of Marshmallow?”

“Umm... Yes.”

“Then Eevee and Marshmallow friends of Mimic.”

*** SCENE SWITCH ***

Aerie was searching the city street ahead. When she found whoever had shot that Jigglypuff at them, she was going to make them pay. Then she felt a firm grip on her upper arm. She turned to strike, but quickly stopped upon seeing Seth.

“Hey, not so tight!”

“Oh no. Just clear your mind and come on back with me.” Seth tilted his head at her with a knowing look. “I’m going to keep you from getting yourself in trouble until we reach Saffron.” He pulled her back step by step.

An evil smile crossed Aerie’s lips. “I wasn’t going to do anything.....”

“Yeah, right...” He watched her violet eyes suddenly dart past his shoulder. Seth turned around just in time to see a young woman in a long, silky, and flowing white dress with a pink sheen walk around the side of a building. She walked up to him, setting her blue eyes upon him with a smile.

“You’re new around here, aren’t you?” She greeted, brushing her short pink hair away from her face. Something about her made Seth think of the Joys, but she didn’t look related.

Then he remembered Aerie, and quickly turned back to her, feeling his blood quickening. Instead of what he was expecting, he found a small violet Pikachu. “Err...” He reached down and scooped her up in his arms. “Yeah, I’m not from around here...you could say I’m just passing through,” Seth said, managing a smile.

“I see.” She glanced at Aerie. “A purple Pikachu? How unusual! You didn’t pick that up at Pokemon Island by any chance did you? I hear they have such amazing color variations there...” She reached out to pat Aerie between the ears.

“NO!” Seth pulled the Pikachu away. “Umm, sorry, but you know how Pikachu can be......I don’t want you to get thundershocked,” He chuckled nervously.

“Ah, thanks. By the way, there’s something I think I should tell you.”

“What’s that?” Seth asked, shifting his hold on the Pikachu snuggling against his chest.

The woman looked kindly at him. “What you search so hard for is not far away. You carry the answers inside of you.”

Seth stared, standing there on the sidewalk carrying a violet Pikachu and listening to this woman speak in a language he couldn’t understand past the first two sentences. It was very dreamlike, then he realized she wasn’t really there.

“Piiika?”

“You saw her too?”

“Chuu.”

“Hmm...” Pulling off his shades for a moment to get a look around, Seth turned all around. Up and down the block, there was no one there. “It just gets weirder and weirder.”

“Piiikachu.”

“And what’s with the purple Pikachu thing anyway?” He grinned, slipping his shades back on.

“Pika, pika,” Aerie replied.

“Actually, I think you stand out *more* that way,” He laughed. “Oh well, let’s go back and find Mimic and Slasher,” Seth said, giving Aerie a rub between the ears. He gave the area one last look. With something of a creepy feeling, he walked off.

As they reapproached the cliffside, Seth spotted Slasher first. Then he noticed that Slasher and Mimic had been joined by a Jigglypuff and an Eevee. Aerie’s ears twitched forward curiously. Seth tried to grab ahold of her, but she jumped out of his arms and dashed towards the others. Then she stopped.

“Pikachu?”

Mimic transformed into another Pikachu in response. Before the others could react, they noticed Seth walk up. The Jigglypuff puffed out in fright and the Eevee began growling and threatening Seth.

“Whoa, calm down!” Seth put his hands out, attempting to put them at ease.

The Eevee would have none of it. [Human...]

“These two tell Mimic been mistreated by people. No trust people. Perhaps if Seth...” Mimic gestured to himself.

“Good idea.” In a blink, there were now three Pikachus - Aerie purple, Seth cyan, and Mimic yellow.

Eevee relaxed almost instantly. [You’re one of us.]

[*ALL* pokemon and people “one of us”!] It took Seth a second to realize this was the first time he saw Mimic frown. [No should fear all people, just because some bad. Fear lead anger. Anger lead hate. Hate lead pain. Pain lead suffering. No want make all suffer, do you?]

[Well...no, I guess not.]

Mimic’s frown dissapeared like a mirage. Had it even been there? [Is ok, can even save life, fear sometimes. But no should distrust everyone.]

[So, who are your friends?]

[This Seth, this Aerie.] Mimic pointed out each one in turn. [You have name?]

[No.]

[Hmm...Marshmallow, may want give friend one.] Mimic gently scratched the scruff of Eevee’s neck. Unfortunately, having not handled the Pikachu’s natural electric current in a while, he accidentally let a bit slip into Eevee’s fur...not enough to hurt Eevee in the slightest, but enough to make Eevee’s fur turn into a giant puffball. [Oops...err, maybe name should be Puffy.] He smiled and chuckled, trying to pet Eevee’s fur back into shape.

[Thanks for helping me,] Marshmallow interjected as she continued to look around in wonder. [I’ve never been away from Mt. Moon before. I’d heard about those ‘launchers’, but I always thought they were just a fairy tale, told by Clefables to put young Clefairys to sleep.]

Aerie looked at the two briefly, as if judging something about them, then smiled. [If you’re that new to the world, maybe you should tag along with us. There’s lots of danger out there.]

Seth blinked, then whispered to Aerie, [Why are we inviting them?]

[Living shields. If something bad comes our way, we can just toss them out as bait and...] Her smile faded, and she looked at the ground. [I did it again, didn’t I?]

[Afraid so.]

[I can’t even tell what’s me and what’s...]

Seth hugged her without needing to hear more. He knew of one prescription for Aerie’s condition: plenty of love and support, to keep her from getting worse while they sought a cure.