Kissing Kris

by Father Hulk

OPENING WORDS: Hello my dear children! Father Max Hulk, here with my first ever Pokemon story. Yes yes, a lot of you say that it's a bit immature for a man of my age, but I beg to differ, for it is a vast universe just loaded with writing opportunities such as this one. (Puts pinky to mouth, Dr. Evil Style) AHEM… okay, let's get rolling. These characters aren't mine, yadda and two more of the same. Let's go!

7:00 A.M. Sunrise. The beams of light pierced through my window, striking my face. As I started to wake up, I enjoyed the warmth of the golden sun. This was like, a "Vogue" shot… my hair was strewn loosely before my eyes, the blankets wrapped around me…

"Kris! Wake up, honey!" My mother called from downstairs. Yawning, I reluctantly sat up. Yup, that's me. Kris. Age 14, citizen of New Bark Town. Whatcha gonna do about it? Hee hee, just teasing. I went to the mirror and combed my hair, which was deciding to be unruly this morning, and then I went downstairs.

"Good morning, sweetie." said Mom as I entered the kitchen. "You had pleasant dreams, I can tell."

I smiled. Some mothers have a way with things that makes you smile, and my mother was one of them.

"Hey Krissie!" said the woman seated across from my mother. I waved. It was Nancy, our neighbor. "You'd be blessed if you'd hear my child stop talking about working for Professor Elm, I tell ya!"

"Speaking of which," said Mom as she fixed me some Crispy Crunchies, "Professor Elm wants to see you today. ASAP."

"Oh really?" I said, nudging the words between a yawn, "What about?"

"I don't know. I think he wants you to run some kind of errand."

"Curious."

"Ah, but you'll be needing a Pokemon to travel outside the village, won't ya?" Nancy said, raising an eyebrow. "And you're not a licensed trainer yet!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure whatever Professor Elm has in mind, he knows how to take care of it."

"All done?" Mother said, not even really a question since she took the bowl away as soon as she said it, "Then be off. Hurry!" She gave me a kiss on the cheek and saw me out the door.

I closed my eyes and sighed as the cool breeze hit my face. New Bark Town may be small, but it's good enough for me. We get a constant breeze from the east, where Route 27 is. I've never been out there, but I heard it leads to another country. One day I'd love to travel to other lands, and see the world…

Professor Elm's lab was the biggest building in town, and quite a grand one at that. I had only been in there a few times, and it was like a huge library! Books, computer terminals galore, all sorts of Pokemon stuff… you could get lost!

I went inside and knocked on Prof. Elm's office door.

"It's not locked." said the cheerful voice from inside. I opened it to see Professor Elm seated at his computer.

"Damn goblins…" he was muttering, "Darn you Pac-Man, why can't you go faster? Ah, Kris!" he exclaimed, seeing me enter. "Wonderful! I have an errand for you."

He strode over to his briefcase. "I want to present this paper on Pokemon evolution at the National PokeLovers Convention this Saturday, but I just can't get one detail straight… this little bugger right here… anyhow, I was wondering if you'd like to raise one of these Pokemon for me, to see if we can clear up the matter?"

I was delighted. "Sure! Which ones can I choose from? Do you have a psychic type?"

Prof. Elm chuckled. "No, I'm afraid not. What we DO have are these." He pressed a button and a domed table raised from the floor, showing three shiny Poke Balls. "We have Cyndaquil, the fire type… Totodile, the water type… and Chikorita, the grass type. You may choose whichever you wish!"

Ever have one of those times when you couldn't decide whether to buy the Gold Version of Pokemon or the Silver version, and you were just debating it over and over and over in your mind and couldn't come up with a decision? This is one of those times for me.

"Does this thing spin around like a roulette?" I asked in a last-ditch effort.

"Nope."

"All right then. I'll choose Totodile!"

Professor Elm pressed the blue button on the console, and in a flash of white light, I was holding the cute little crocodile-like Pokemon in my arms.

"Awww, how precious!" I cooed, stroking its head. "I'm going to call you Seltzer, because you're a jumpy water type!"

Professor Elm smiled and shook his head. "Clever girl that you are, Kris, I'm afraid that… hold on…" He abruptly went over to his computer. "I got an e-mail…" He read it thoroughly. "Okay… umm…"

He turned back to me. "Kris, could I ask a tremendous favor of you?"

I smiled broadly. "I'm already doing one for you, so another shouldn't be too much to handle, should it?"

"I have a friend named Mr. Pokemon."

"That's original." I said.

"Yes, well… he keeps finding bizarre things and raving about them. Now he's claiming he's found a (and I quote) 'giant piece to my endless jigsaw puzzle' (end quote)."

"Hmm…"

"Hmm indeed. So I was wondering if I could entrust you to go pick it up for me? It's not a far walk, all you need to is go beyond Cherrygrove City. You've been there before, I trust?"

I nodded. "I go to Cherrygrove all the time to go shopping. Mother's Chansey needs medicine sometimes."

"Good, good. Mr. Pokemon's house is just north of there. I have a machine here to heal your Pokemon," he pointed to the large stretcher-like tray, "Or you can use the Pokemon Center in Cherrygrove. Do you think you are up to it?"

I nodded vigorously. "You betcha."

"That'a girl, Kris. I'm counting on you!"

With a wave, I exited Prof. Elm's lab and, with Seltzer on my shoulders, set off on the route leading west. (I'm not too good with my route numbers. Age, don't forget. ---M.J.)

On the road, I fought a few wild battles with Seltzer. He's really quite impressive. He has very sharp claws that even Pidgey runs away from. Without too much trouble, my faithful partner and I made it to Cherrygrove City.