Chapter 5 – Jackpot

The island was beautiful.

Meowthnum1 suddenly had a moment of intense clarity, and knew that this was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen.

Walking on the sandy beach, he glumly realized that it didn’t mean that much. Hell, he was, as the idiots in high school put it, trailer park trash.

Meowth pointed out countless times that he never lived in a trailer. It was just a little run down home. And sure, he never really had new stuff or got to enjoy a lot of things that other teens his age did, but he didn’t care.

Growing up in near poverty taught him the importance of a dollar. It taught him the importance of savoring the little things in life. And it also taught him to take a chance for any cash. After all, what can you loose? Humiliation, shame, sure. But you aren’t any poorer than you started out.

He glance back at the large Octillery following him, and looked at the ocean.

Meowth knew he had a good Pokémon. Octillery was probably at the top of the water Pokémon ladder. Not only could it fire sludge bombs and the like, it had powerful tentacles and was just as strong on land as it was in water. The only thing that Meowth really feared at this point was an electric Pokémon… but he had a feeling he wouldn’t be seeing any soon.

His eyes traveled up the high rock walls as he walked the beach. Meowth had been walking since he had woken up, and still hasn’t come across a clear path directly into the island. The island seemed to be sealed off by the high rock walls, and this wasn’t that good for those walking along the shore.

He stopped walking, and looked at the rocky cliff about 7 yards in front of him. He didn’t see any real good footholds that he could use to climb. He began walking towards the cliff to get a better look when he saw something odd propped up against the rocky wall.

Now a variety of factors had contributed to Meowth’s lack of money and near-poverty. Easily the biggest factor was the fact that his father wasted away nearly thousands of the family’s savings in casinos, playing the slots. To this day, just the mention of the word casino or slots makes Meowth’s blood boil. It just reminded him of his deadbeat father and his gambling.

Meowth felt that familiar anger rise up inside of him when he saw what was standing at the base of the cliff. It was a bright red and yellow slot machine.

“What the hell?” Meowth asked. Octillery didn’t know what to make of it.

Meowth ran his fingers up alongside of the slot machine and grabbed a piece of paper that was taped to it. He unfolded the paper and read the note out loud.

“Dear Contestant. This is a slot machine. The prize is a Legendary Pokéball. You cannot destroy it to get the Pokéball inside. Don’t try. It costs nothing to operate, and the chances of winning the Legendary Pokéball are astronomic. Go ahead and enjoy yourself, though. Mega.”

Meowth dropped the paper on the sand, and it flew away in the breeze.

“A Legendary Pokéball?” asked Meowth. “Right inside that slot machine could be a Mew! Or a Moltres! Or an Entei!”

Octillery picked up on Meowth’s excitement and watched its master.

“Not only will I have Octillery, but a Legendary Pokémon, too. And, hey, what’s the harm in trying?” asked Meowth. Octillery raised its tentacles in the air as if to shrug.

Meowth grabbed the slot machine’s bar, and pulled. He watched in excitement as the wheels inside spun. The brief view he had of the Pokéball symbol painted on one of the wheels was thrilling. To know that he was just that close!

When the wheels stopped, Meowth frowned. Three cherries.

Meowth pulled the bar again.

No Pokéball.

He gave Octillery a try. Octillery had no better luck.

They both took turns pulling the bar, and praying for the Pokéball. The gambling gene apparently ran in the family, because Meowth was completely and utterly absorbed in the slot machine. Octillery’s eyes never left it.

This gave Final Starman all the chance he needed.

From the top of the cliff, directly above Meowth, he jumped. His Sentret followed.

Meowth was completely taken by surprise when Final landed directly on him. Meowth fell to the ground, and yelled out in pain. Final landing on him had of to cracked some ribs. Meowth rolled over and cried out once more. His right leg hurt like a *****, and he didn’t try to guess what happened with it.

Sentret didn’t have such a safe landing. Fully hoping to land on Octillery, it leapt into the air and aimed for its head. It did land on Octillery, but not with the desired results. Octillery’s naturally rubbery head caused Sentret to bounce into the air after landing, and it landed with a hard thud into the sand.

Meowth stood up, gasping for air and staring down at Final. Final stood up, and smiled at Meowth.

“Hm. I didn’t know Fedora was doing charity work.” Final said.

Meowth wasn’t surprised by the insult. He was well known at GameFAQs, and people knew he was near-poverty. Most people were still friendly towards him, but a few were idiots, just like Final.

Final punched Meowth in the face, and Octillery was instantly on him. Octillery wrapped its beefy tentacles around his legs and squeezed. Octillery’s front tentacles squeezed into his chest, making breathing difficult.

Sentret saw this, and leapt onto Octillery. It made sure it didn’t bounce off this time by viciously biting Octillery’s head. Sentret held its tail up against Octillery for balance, and began frantically clawing and scratching.

Octillery’s grip weakened, and Final managed to escape. He scrambled up and pulled the slot machine bar. Meowth threw his arm around Final’s neck and tossed him to the ground.

“You idiots fight like… well, idiots.” Meowth said with a sneer.

Octillery began slapping its tentacles up against its own head in an attempt to ward Sentret off. Sentret’s back was red with lash marks from Octillery, and it briefly let its jaws loosen on Octillery’s head. Octillery felt this and grabbed Sentret’s tail and flung it against the slot machine, which displayed three bells.

Sentret pulled the slot machine bar with its tail, and lunged for Octillery.

Final had gotten up and had Meowth up against the wall next to the slot machine. Final let out a few vicious kicks and punches, but Meowth managed to catch him off guard with a perfectly aimed left hook. Final stumbled backwards and fell, and Meowth jumped on top of him.

They tore at each other, rolling themselves away from the slot machine and towards the ocean. Octillery had followed, with Sentret clawing at its head. Octillery landed direct hits to Sentret’s back with its tentacles, and the whipping noise cut through the air.

Meowth and Final were now close enough to the tide that they both quickly became soaked. Meowth had straddled Final and landed some tough punches to Final’s neck and chin. Final raised one of his feet quickly and landed a direct kick to the back of Meowth’s head.

All four of the combatants were too busy to hear the slot machine start up once more.

Meowth fell to the side, and Final grabbed a handful of sand and threw it into Meowth’s eyes. Octillery had moved close enough to Final and Meowth to wrap one of its tentacles around Final’s neck while lashing at the biting and clawing Sentret attached to its head.

Final pulled forward, with oxygen quickly becoming an issue, and wrapped his hands around Meowth’s neck.

When the slot machine began to light up and a high pitched alarm filled the air, all four of them froze. Arms, tentacles, and claws still wrapped around each other, they peered back at the flashing slot machine and the Pokéball laying on the sand in front of it.

The thing that made the four let go of each other and make a mad dash for the Pokéball was the Delibird, whose arm was still holding onto the slot machine bar.