Tired and hungry our friendly trio entered the sunset-lit streets of Viridian City! Jacen, overwhelmed by the wilderness that day, fell to his knees and literally kissed the ground.

"FINALLY! Civilization at last!"

"You don't get out much do you Jacen?"

"Well..."

"Oh look! It's a Chinese restaurant! Let's go! I have never ever ever had Chinese! It would so cool, so cool, to have some Chinese!"

"Bulba!"

"Yeah, I'll get you some Pokémon food too, Buddy."

"Saur!"

Krystal began to run off in the direction of the restaurant. She quickly noticed that Jacen was just standing there.

"Don't be a slowpoke, Jacen! Hurry up!"

"But-but-but..."

"Quit it! Your starting to sound like my mom's '98 Cerulean Crusier! And that things a piece of well-JUNK!"

Having gotten this off her mind, she once again sprinted towards her paradise!

"But... we just ate-an hour ago. (sigh) Oh well," he followed reluctantly.

Jannie had been strutting her stuff all day long, and Jared had been carrying her stuff all day long. Sometimes he wondered why he had to lug HER stuff around. He knew she was at least capable of doing that. They were walking down the last street. Only a few shops had yet to feel the wrath of her credit cards, and Jared's pocket change. Suddenly a small costume shop caught Jared's attention. He dropped the pile of boxes and bags and rushed to look in the window. Having heard the sound Jannie turned to see Jared eyeing something in the window.

"WHAT do you THINK you're doing?" she quickly pushed him out of the way and pressed her face into the window, straining to see what the excitement was about.

"Aren't they cool!" he said, practically drooling.

Jannie gasped, "PERFECT!!! I'm so glad I found them." Jannie immediately dragged Jared into the costume shop.

An overly friendly salesman greeted them. "Velcome to me Custume Shoppe! I'm Victor van Flugleman und I'm yur fiendly salesmin!" he spoke with a sappy almost-Swedish accent, "How maye I help-a you?"

"My good man, we are interested in the set of costumes in the front window." Jared said, standing tall and trying to be sophisticated.

"Ooooo! Vee hauv bin trying to zell dem vittle guys fur a veek! I kan git dem fur you veal quickie-like!" he clapped his hands enthusiastically and did a little ditty with some poké-polka music in the background.

"Sure." Jared replied, unsure of what he had said. He looked at Jannie and she shrugged as they joined in and do-si-doed around the room, small as it was.

Suddenly the music cut off and Victor straightened himself up and dashed to the front of the store. Sandy tugged on Jannie's skirt.

"What!"

"Shrew!"

"OH! How cute! Jared look!" she jumped with giddiness and picked up Sandy.

He stared at Sandy for a moment then noticed a cute gray beret atop Sandy's head. She had decided to get in on the shopping fun too, after being left out all day. She smiled happily from the attention she received.

"We ALL have to get one! You too Jared. Then you can be as stylish as me!" She and Sandy hurried off to the rack of berets and they began to pick through them. Soon there was a mess on the floor. Jared rolled his eyes, but he knew better than to say no. Jannie would never listen to him anyway. On days like this, she was off in her own world.

The sappy salesman returned with an armload of clothes. "Ere you goo now! Fry dem on vefore you weave, sow you don't vask furs a vefund!" Jannie snatched them up and rushed through the dressing room door.

THUMP-THUMP -RIPPP - DING -THUMP

Jared wondered at the strange noises that he had almost gotten used to. "You tu vittle man! I'm sure you vill look kool tu!" He gave him a set of clothes before he could say anything to the contrary. Once again he reluctantly went to the 'Vittle Voys' dressing room marked accordingly.

A few minutes passed and like a model waltzing down a lighted catwalk, Jannie emerged in a beautiful ensemble composed of a stone gray skirt, blouse, beret, a pair of pearly white boots and gloves and topped off with a lime green scarf around her neck. Jared also appeared dressed in stone grey pants, shirt and a gray beret, of course, with matching white boots and gloves.

They stared in awe at each other's clothes and knew that this was meant to be! Suddenly Sandy popped out in front with another beret? No, something wasn't right. Something was missing, maybe a touch of personality, or originality at least.

Victor looked vurried, "Wut's a matta? Vhy the vong vaces?"

"Mr. Flugleman, these outfits just aren't SPIFFY enough!" Jannie cried.

"Vell vee kan vix that!" he replied, but took a quick look at Jannie. In fact he got way too close, and Jannie's spatial bubble was popped, "TOO CLOSE!" This knocked him off his feet and made him dizzy. Yes, he did remember now.

"Zorry, vut you vemind me of uh lady I uused to knew! Whut is yur name vittle girl?"

"Jannie, Ms. Jannie. McScanty."

"OOOHHH! I'm sew excited! I knew yur parents. They vere very, very nice to me, und 'elped me vith my vittle shoppe! I have joost the thing fur you! Now give me yur cluthes!"

"I'm VEARING-I mean I'm WEARING them, you FIEND! Let me change first."

"That is whut I meant!"

In a matter of seconds they were done and handed them over to him. He again leaped for joy and burst of poké polka played...again. They danced again and he zipped into the back room, and faster than you can say Vanfluglemaweiderminsteinburger, the work was completed and he reappeared with a surprise! On the shirts and hats he had applied green "R"s to match Jannie's scarf. They looked in absolute excitement.

Jared spoke up first, "DUDE! They're PERFECT!!! Man, I could- KISS YOU!"

"Hold on a vinute voy! I'd vealy vather nute. I'll take a check eensted," he replied.

"Aren't you glad I thought of this, Jared? Why what would you ever do without me?"

"A lot more..." he mumbled under his breath.

Too giddy to care, she ignored him and skipped to the register. Victor rang up the price and bagged the clothes for them. "That vill be fifty Euros...OOOPS! I mean fifty dollars."

"Fifty?" Jared asked.

"Don't worry Jared, my moomy and diddy vill pay for 'em."

"That's me girl!" Victor exclaimed, as she gave him her card.

"Just one more thing..." Jared said.

"Ja?"

"You might want to switch to decaff."

End of Chapter Seven
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