The Adventures of Tempa the Torchic

[Lady Mage Gryphon]

Hello all. While I'm in Japan I thought I might do something fun and post the journal of my torchic, Tempa. She has a lot more time then I do, because technically I'm here for school.
The second post of this thread shall be dedicated to the actual journal while this post is really just for grins and giggle title stuff.
It's also where I tell you that I hope you enjoy this little bit of fiction. I think the guild needs some lightening up and when my friend gave me my torchic plushy as a going away present I just couldn't resist the temptation. Soz if it's in the wrong spot, but I don't think it is so...*shrug*
 

[Lady Mage Gryphon]

The Adventures of Tempa the Torchic!

(And her trainer Sarah)
En route in Seto, Japan

9 September 2006,

Hi there! I’m Tempa, a Torchic with news so hot it’ll blow Mt. Fuji. ^_^
I’m in Japan!
Now, I know what you’re thinking, ‘A pokemon in Japan, that’s nothing new.’ Well you’re wrong! I’m an American pokemon with an American trainer. Her name’s Sarah and she’s pretty cool for a human. She doesn’t treat me like a pet, but a tiny person. Which is good because I am. Really, do you know any other torchic that type?
Getting back on track, the reason I’m in Japan is because my trainer managed to get accepted into a study abroad program in Seto, near Nagoya. Isn’t that super neat? My trainer’s nice AND smart. We’ll go far, she and I.
And since she was coming to Japan, it was a given I had to come; after all we’re a team. But there was a horrible snag that could have robbed me of a trainer so soon after being adopted. Though we’ve only been together since June, the Japanese officials weren’t going to let me into the country! The people who made pokemon! The audacious pricks at the customs office my trainer called said that I was an animal so I would have to go through the six-month quarantine process. It was an outrage!
First off I am not an animal! I’m a pokemon! Po. Ke. Mon. How are trainers supposed to travel and train and add to their team if every time they try to go to a new country they get stuffed with red tape? How, I ask you? HOW?! Does the international Pokemon League know about this? They’d better not approve of it. *ember attack*
Second, we’re only going to be in Japan until Christmas, that’s four months. Four. Not six. Four. Why do the idiots at customs think I’m going to go into quarantine for two more months than what my trainer’s supposed to be here for? Or at all for that matter? Just you let them try, though, I’ll peck them to pieces.
Anyway, my trainer realized these problems as well, so she figured out a way around them. I told you she was smart, but what she did was so simple it was brilliant. Now most people trying to smuggle a pokemon in would try to be all sneaky and hide the pokeball deep in the crevice of their suitcase. They’re idiots though, because that’s the first place airport security checks. No, Sarah tinkered around and attached my pokeball to a keychain, which she then stuck on her side bag she used as a carry-on. It was in plain sight the entire time, so people thought it was completely innocent. While I wasn’t happy about being stuck in my ball for over twenty-four hours, I realized the importance of staying quiet. And besides, the ball makes me very sleepy, so I just conked out for the trip. I feel kinda bad for my trainer though. She had to be awake for most of those plane rides and all through the airports.
The best part about all of this is, now that I’m here, no one will take any notice of me when I’m out. Once an animal, and I still protest that term mind you, clears quarantine, they don’t need any further paperwork. I have to be hidden at school, as they have a no-pet policy. Pet, by the way is another term I take offense to, I’m a partner who can battle on her own, not some brainless parrot you teach to talk…though I wouldn’t mind being able to form human words. Bet the quarantine people would get a kick out of what I’d say to them if I could. >=P

Now what are you thinking? That my trainer’s a bad person? That she’s a criminal for sneaking me in? Big whoop. She did what a trainer had too. And it’s not like we’re going to go on a catching spree and sneak those pokemon back into America. For one, we’d be caught for sure, and then I’d lose a perfectly good trainer. Besides she’s here to study, not go on a training marathon. We’ll have very few opportunities to catch new pokemon while we’re here. I’m really only along to keep her company, so there.

Meanwhile Japan is quite possibly the most interesting place on Earth. My trainer’s laughing at me while she reads this, saying she knew that already and it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Really though, she’s been here before, I haven’t! In fact, I wasn’t even hatched when she was here last January, so how was I supposed to know…other than her telling me. She’s my trainer and I respect her as much as I love her, and that’s a lot, but she can be really weird. She says the strangest things and has the oddest opinions, I swear she’s made for the psychic types but she’s mine and I come first so I guess she stuck with the fire types. She says for now, but I know she’ll never abandon me for another. Unless it’s a vulpix, I have a sneaking suspicion that a vulpix might dethrone me.
She’s laughing at me again. She always reads over me when I type, she likes being able to communicate with me so easily. We’re both glad she taught me how to do this.
She’s reminding me to get back on subject. Japan! Yes, Japan. It is amazing, from what little I’ve seen. The school she’s at is tucked away in the mountains so it’s fairly obscure and there are plenty of forests around here. They are prime training grounds for those not wishing to be caught. <3 What’s really amazing though is the pokemon equipment here. While it’s technically no different from what’s available in the US, it is so much cheaper here! That pokeball that costs $5 in the US? It’s 200 yen here. 200 yen is less than half the price! Plus, they’re in vending machines! Honestly, there’s a vending machine outside of the local store that had pokeballs, great balls, potions, and more!
I swear it’s true. We saw it today when we went for a morning walk. We were up early and had nothing better to do, so she decided we should walk down the mountain to the village. She was forgetting, of course, that we’d have to walk back up. Okay, so she carried me, but I’m tiny! And it was early. She’s mocking me. Okay fine! I was being lazy, but I still came through in the cinch!
On the way back up, a murkrow dive-bombed her. Apparently her sunglasses were shiny and pretty. *eyeroll* Now in America, murkrow aren’t really dangerous unless they’re a really high level. Here in Japan, however, the buggers are huge! At least twice as big as the one we saw at home. I singed its feathers good though. It’ll think twice before touching my trainer again. Sarah thinks we should catch it later. I think she’s nuts. That thing’s mean to the core, I know it. She says she’ll take my word for it. She’d better, or I’ll be having murkrow flambé.

This is the field the murkrow was in

She’s laughing again. Ah well, I suppose it is funny.
I’m going to go now! My trainer wants her computer back to study for the placement test she has to take. I’ll write more later.



10 September 2006
It is absolute sacrilege!!! What did I say just yesterday? We are not here to do lots of training or catch loads of pokemon!! Didn’t I say that?! Didn’t I?!
I love my trainer but she’s pissing me off right now. We went into town yesterday to shop for essentials and then we got swept up in a festival, or matsuri as they’re called here, that’s going on this weekend. And what happens? She finds a bloody mudkip!! A mudkip! A water type! I hate water types. And when the thing evolves, it will be a ground type too. Is my trainer trying to kill me?

Why is he touching me?

I need to remember my breathing routine. In. Out. In. Out. In.
I really want to torch that thing.
Only it wouldn’t do any good.
I hate being on the wrong end of type advantage. Why did Sarah manage to find a ruddy mudkip in the mountains?!
Okay, I’ll be fair. The town is in the valley with a river running through it. It’s a decent enough spot for a water type. And technically, she didn’t find it. It found us. Which makes me hate it more.
Marshall, as the runt has been named, ran straight up to Sarah at the festival and hopped on her shopping bags. He gurgled, she cooed and now I’m doomed to having a new teammate who will be able to kick my a** by pure luck of the type draw. What he doesn’t realize is that I can sill peck him to death. And later, when I evolve, he’ll be my own personal kickboxing bag. I’m still a higher level than he is. He’s only level seven and I’m at level twelve.
Honestly though, what annoys me most about him is that he has no intellect to speak of. He just wants to be a good pokemon and do what Sarah says. What about being independent? What about personal battle strategy? A pokemon has to be able to think on its feet in battle or it’s going to lose, no matter how good the trainer. And I have a good trainer; he is not gonna bring us down. And being good? Hah! Good, doesn’t get anyone anywhere, you have to be great if you’re going to cut it in a competition.
Sarah says to stop whining.
I’m not whining! I’m ranting! There’s a difference. Hey! Get back! Bad train-
…
You all are lucky this is a journal because you didn’t have to hear that crash. My trainer set Marshall in front of me because I was ‘badmouthing’ him. I can’t even give a critique anymore.
Sarah says I’m biased against water types. I’m not against water types; I’m against idiots. Okay, so I’m against water types too, but that’s not the point here. Marshall is older than me by several months, but he’s still so low leveled… and he can’t read! I can read English as well as anyone AND I’m starting to get the hang of hiragana. He can’t even recognize one simple character. I realize he hasn’t had a super cool trainer to teach him before now, but he has no interest in learning either. He’d rather be on Sarah’s lap. It’s pokemon like him that make the rest of us look like pets that need to be quarantined.
She says it’s probably better he not be on the computer anyway, as he would get it all wet and muddy.
She has a point.
Ooooh! This means that I’m the smart one who gets to know everything because I can read and write in a human language. Not really useful unless we get separated from our trainer in an area with lots of signs, and perhaps a portable keyboard handy, but hey! At least I get the personal satisfaction of being able to know what everything says.
And I still don’t like him.
He’s staring at me like…like…like a kicked poochyena. He’d better not coo at me. Real words, damn it, use real words! He must not have had anyone around to talk to for a long time, because his conversation skills suck.
I’m going to go torch some spare bits of paper. That always makes me feel better.
(later)
Wow, I sounded like a prat. I’m not that spoiled, honest I'm not. I guess it’s just what Sarah calls sibling rivalry.
I never thought I’d be the jealous type. I mean, I always knew Sarah would get another pokemon, she is a trainer after all. She won’t make it through a competition with just me, no matter how good I am. I just never thought I’d be so unwilling to give up my trainer’s attention. And up until now, it was all for me. Me. Numero Uno.
Alright, maybe I am spoiled.
And maybe not being spoiled will be better. I do need to figure out teamwork eventually. Dual battles are sometimes part of official competitions and I can’t do a dual battle by myself. I have to learn. I will learn. If not for myself then for my trainer. She’s put up with me so far and let me do all sorts of things another trainer would never even consider. Like typing. I like being able to communicate. Another trainer would have never taught me to read and type. She’s worth it, so I guess Marshall is too.



11 September 2006
It’s a beautiful day, sunny and just the right temperature. Marshall and I are both antsy and eager to run around and what is my trainer doing? Well, right now she’s hunched over a notebook writing kanji after kanji for the placement test she has tomorrow. Apparently she won’t have time to study much tomorrow. Some sort of entrance-to-the college ceremonial stuff.

I’m perfectly capable of understanding that this is important to her, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m bored. Marshall is bored too, but I say it’s because he’s boring. Heehee.
...She’s not paying attention to my typing. What’s the point then? I went and pecked at her to read but she only waved me off. I thought briefly about using Ember on those flashcards she keeps rifling through, but I think I like my life.

Sarah’s not the only one of the humans studying today either. There were a few downstairs when I sneaked a hop to the kitchen. And the human house is usually so active, too! I wonder if this school thing always does this to humans.
Oh! She read! She says yes, it does. She says it’s like training; it never ends.
Well my training’s ended if she’s going to holed up over paper the whole time. And her training looks so much more boring. She agrees. Damn it! This is going to be one long trip. I guess I’ll go try that melon bread.



12 September 2006
Okay so Sarah is currently taking her test thingy. She was gone all morning for her entrance ceremony and lectures and then she had about a half hour before she had to rush off to the test place.
She barely had enough time to bring lunch, which is important because she forgot breakfast. It isn’t really important for Marshall, he sleeps late, but I rise with the sun and I need fuel! She apologized by bringing me melon bread, though, that stuff is good. Marshall got some veggie chips as we still haven’t figured out what he likes to eat. He’s munching pretty happily, though, so vegetables are definitely on the menu.
I really am quite bored. I suppose I should have guessed I would be since Sarah’s here for school. I mean, I knew I wouldn’t be able to get much training done, but I guess I didn’t realize that ‘not much’ meant ‘hardly any’. Maybe things will get better when Sarah doesn’t have to run off every five seconds for this entrance stuff. She has to get some time to herself. And by to herself, I do mean to us.
She did leave the window open for us if we wanted to go out, though. The window in her room opens onto a roof like a patio. It’s big and flat and has a raised edge that is the perfect size for hiding little pokemon like me and Marshall. I’m really tempted, because there are bugs all over the place here. Not pokemon bugs, at least not yet, but even chasing the normal ones are better than nothing.

I can resist anything except temptation

I worry about the weather though, because it looks like rain. I do not like to get wet. Ever. I barely let Sarah wash me every now and then. I wouldn’t let her do it if it didn’t keep the nasty critters out of my feathers, because I hate water. Hate, hate, hate!



13 September 2006
Yeah it’s raining.

bleagh, water!

And my trainer is still stuck in entrance junk. She has another test today, too. Apparently the first one wasn’t good enough. Sending my trainer back to me stressed and exhausted once is obviously not good enough. They have to do it again.
Those office workers are lucky I’m not supposed to be here, because if I could show myself they’d be singed.
So once again I am left in the room with nothing to do and no trainer to fix that. I can’t even talk to Marshall, which I actually have been doing, because he’s on the roof. In the rain. With water falling from the skies in evil drops and cruel mud coming up between your toes. His toes. Not my toes, because I’m not going out there. Not in a million years.
I want my trainer back.



15 September 2006
I need to start off by saying that this is Sarah, not Tempa. My first classes are today and continue through the rest of the semester. It’s about as much fun as filing fingertips as none of the teachers are willing to speak more than about five words in English. It does have the misfortune of meaning that I won’t be able to do much with Tempa and Marshall for the next few months.
As to why Tempa is not writing this particular entry, well that’s a funny story. She was typing that she was bored so I suggested that she go play with Marshall. The rain was very light and it wouldn’t hurt her to build up some water resistance. Besides, she has no open flames so such light amounts of water can’t really hurt her. She looked at me like I was a few pokeballs shy of a full team. I am but that’s beside the point.

Marshall on the roof

To sum things up she did go play and she ended up playing a lot longer than I thought she would. She also ended up getting a cold. She’s currently using my favorite purple scarf as a nest while she sneezes smoke every now and then. I would feel worse except she’s so super cute right now. And it’s not like she’s really hurt, life doesn’t end because of a head cold. She’ll be back to ranting in a few days.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f373/AkaiTennyo/Pokemon/curledup.jpg[/img]]Awwwww...
 

[Lady Mage Gryphon]

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[Ranma-kun]

Aww, this is very cute. <.< Did Japanes costems really treat a plushie as an animal? xd I look foward to Tempa's futher adventures.  

[Lady Mage Gryphon]

Updates are in green.
Sorry this is so behind, and likely to be that way for a few more days, I'm still converting all the photos from my camera so they don't take up so much space and aren't so big. xp
And in response Ranma, no the nice Japanese people at customs did no thing my torchic plushy was an animal. rolleyes They did however comment on my bringing pokemon stuff TO Japan. Apparantly it's normally the other way around. It was also apparent that they did not expect me to be able to understand them. I don't know why, "pokemon" is just too easy to pick out of a conversation.