Project: Titans -- A Pokemon Story (OC x Piers)

Chapter 10

I was in a full-blown panic. I'd asked everyone I saw on the street if they'd seen a little Alolan Meowth running around. A few claimed they'd gotten stuff stolen by something, and I thought I was making progress, but then they said they didn't know what had hit them and I lost hope all over again.

I had been searching for hours. Espeon was sitting beside me, sensing around with her psychic powers, but it wasn't any use. Wherever Meowsie was, she wasn't anywhere near us. Besides, even if she was near us, she was a Dark type, and Espeon's psychic powers would have no effect.

I sat down near a fountain to think about this logically, but every time I thought of her tears threatening to spill from my eyes. Meowsie was like the twin sister I'd never had. If I lost her, I lost the one person I could talk to on missions. And I knew in a city like this, anything could happen.

Shaking off my emotions, I rose to my feet and went to keep looking. I let everyone out of their luxury balls to help search. I let Skrelp stay in the fountain to see if she made her way back here. Salazzle was leaving glowing marks from Fire Lash as markers so Meowsie could follow them to the fountain. Espeon was using Psychic to lift herself and Shelgon into the air to see from up high, and I was patrolling all the streets within five blocks.

I interrogated everyone I saw on the streets, until I saw a little girl in a pink dress and black leather jacket. Standing next to her was a guy with massive quantities of black and white hair. There was nothing unusual about the girl, minus her companion; Black pigtails, black boots, and narrow green eyes that were so light they were almost blue. But the thing that made me run and tap her shoulder was the fact the two looked like they were searching for something. Or, possibly, someone.

"'Scuse me," I said, taking on a Southern accent so people didn't recognise my real voice. I do make a pretty cute Southerner, if I do say so myself. "Y'all lookin' for somethin'?"
"Uh, yeah," the little girl said, turning to face me. "How'd you know?"

"Oh, I could just tell by the way youse diggin' around in the dirt. Now, I know it ain't much of my business, but you look like you lost somethin' mighty important."
"You're right. It ain't any of your business, so go 'mosey' along, or whatever you Southerners call it," the man snapped.

"Now, now, no need to pitch a hissy fit," I said, a bit taken aback by his harshness. "No need at all. If you could tell me y'all's names, I'd be more than happy to help you out."
"My name's Marnie," the girl said before the man could object. "And this is my big bro, Piers."
"My name's Jolene, but most everybody calls me Jo. Now, to business. What y'all lookin' for?"

"We're lookin' for a little Meowth that ain't from Galar," she explained, and my heart started thumping with hope. Meowsie. "By chance, was she a Dark type?" I asked slowly. "Lavender fur, golden charm, little narcissistic?"

"Yeah," she replied slowly. "How'd you know that?"
"Oh, I caught the devil rootin' around in my bag earlier," I fibbed quickly. "And I'm real familiar with those Alolan Meowth. Shame on the hooligan who brought it here."

"Oh, so she's from Alola?" Marnie asked. So naive, I thought, as I fixed a scowl on my face and nodded. "Ooh, yes," I told her. "Little fiends of the islands. Vain, smart and ruthless as a Thievul in a flock of Wooloo. Those little devils can kiss my go to hell, for all I care, but why are you lookin' for one in this big, busy city?"

"Well, see, we think this one happened to run away from her trainer," she explained. "I found her sittin' on the sidewalk, an' she gave me a detailed description of her. Though, to be honest, I think she might've made her up."

"Now why would you go 'round sayin' somethin' like that?"
"Because we walked around Wyndon for hours and nobody fit her description," Piers, who had been silent this whole time, said flatly. "An' I don't like people."
"My bro's a bit of an introvert," Marnie explained. "He rarely takes a likin' to anythin'."

"Well, we all have our opinions," I said, forcing a smile. "Now, we should find this little Meowth before somebody else does it for us. I can call my partners out to help us." Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed a spare luxury ball I kept for emergencies. After all, with only five Pokemon on my team, I had to keep one spare handy. "Linoone, let's go," I tossed out his luxury ball.

After spending a few months in the Hoenn region, I had caught quite a few Pokemon to send back to HQ, including Linoone. It had shown a knack for hunting down objects with its ability, Pickup, and I made it a part of my team when I was first starting out as a trainer.

Now, it was retired from work, and spent its time living in my private sanctuary for all the Pokemon I had caught and put on my team at one point or another. I constantly swapped out Pokemon from there for short missions, but we were all very close. Now, I had called on Linoone again, for its quick reflexes and vicious temperament.

"Woah! What kind of Pokemon is that?!" Marnie gaped at it.
"It's a Linoone, but it ain't from Galar," I explained. "It's just a Normal type Pokemon. But, just because it don't have that dark Galarian additude don't mean it ain't useful. Linoone, use Belly Drum!"

Linoone rose onto its hind legs and started to pat its belly with its paws. Each time its paw connected, the vibrations got louder and louder. "The Meowth should be able to pick up on the vibrations from Belly Drum," I explained. "Now, use Tail Slap to keep the beat. The Meowth should be able to hear you if you use it on that big hunk o' metal there in the fountain."

Linoone complied, jumping up and slapping his tail on the steel statue of Corviknight in the town square, letting it clang and ring. "Now, we can search the areas where the Meowth might be. Let's make like a banana and split up. You go with your big brother, sugar. I'll look with my other partner."

"Sounds like a plan," Marnie grinned, grabbing her brother by the arm and taking off and disappearing into the crowd. As soon as they left, I switched into full Analytics Mode.

Linoone's Belly Drum/Tail Slap combination can be heard for miles, I thought, formulating my plan of action in my head. Meowsie should be able to hear it, even if she hitched a ride to the outskirts of the city. "Espeon," I shouted, and she ran to my side. "Lift me up and put me on the statue! I need a full 360 view of Wyndon, pronto!"

Rising into the air, I landed on the wing of the Corviknight statue embedded in a flying position in the fountain. Putting two fingers in my mouth, I let out a piercing whistle that echoed around the area and reached the ears of everyone around me. I kept at it for a few minutes, but I stopped when I felt lightheaded and saw my face was turning blue in the reflective surface of the metal.

Rummaging around in my backpack, I pulled out a little whistle I keep handy in case I need to make a distraction, or scare away wild Pokemon, or referee battles. "It isn't loud enough," I murmured, pondering a way to make it louder. "I can't make a loud enough noise with just a whistle, no matter how hard I blow...I don't have an amplifier, and Linoone's busy using Tail Slap...Hurry up, Gia, the clock's ticking..."

Wait. I looked up to the giant clock tower dominating most of Wyndon. Clock...the clock chime! "The clock is huge," I murmured, the plan formulating in my head. "And the ringing can be heard all throughout Wyndon. If I can get the chime to strike in a pattern Meowsie knows...we can find her!"

I was so happy, I leapt up in excitement, and landed funny on my ankle, which was still weak from falling off the cliffs in Turffield. I usually heal very quickly, but even badly spraining an ankle will do a number on me.

Shrieking, I fell off the statue and hit the ground on my side, but I had too much to do to think about pain. "Come on," I yelled, returning everyone except Skrelp to their Pokeballs. "Skrelp, stay here and keep an eye out for Meowsie. If you find her, tell Linoone to use Rain Dance to signal us!" Skrelp nodded.

"Okay, let's move!" But, even before I left the center of Wyndon, I tripped over something and ate concrete. "Stupid construction workers," I growled, looking back at the lump I'd tripped over. But, instead of a crack in the sidewalk, it was a groaning mass of muted purple fur.

"Meowsie!" I cried, scooping her up in a huge hug.
"Hey, take it easy," she squirmed. "You're messing up my whiskers!"
"Oh, shut up, you diva." I squeezed her harder. "I swear, I thought I lost you for good."
"You won't get rid of me that easy, Gia. I'm unshakable."
"Thank God for that."