Mino

Like many fans, I went to the Black and White tour at the mall. I knew a lot of people would be bringing their PokeWalkers as well, so I tried to decide who would be the best to take with me. I first thought of my Charizard that I transferred from my original play through of FireRed, but I felt that I took him to enough places and wanted someone new.

I was looking through the pc when I stopped on my Leafeon, Mino. I never really used him after transferring him to my SoulSilver from Platinum and thought that Leafeon would be rarer at the event because he was a version exclusive evolution requirement. So I linked my PokeWalker to my DS Lite and watched as he went inside the red and white pedometer.

It was just in time too because it was already noon. Once arriving at the mall I immediately got a stamp book and went to all the stations to fill it up. Afterwards I went to stand in line for the prize wheel.

I sighed; it was a long line, almost out the door. I checked my watch, 1:00pm. I knew that I had to leave at 2:30 so I was a bit worried about getting to the prizes because I still wanted to buy a few things from the Pokemon Center downstairs. I looked behind me, already the line had lengthened, and that's when I noticed a group of people linking PokeWalkers. Remembering Mino, I asked them if they wanted to link PokeWalkers and we did.

I linked up with more and more PokeWalkers and even made a few new friends. That's when this guy came out of nowhere. I guess it wasn't that strange that I didn't see him at first because of all the people. He didn't strike me as a pokemon fan though, yet he pulled out a PokeWalker and asked if I wanted to link up. I guess he must have seen me linking with others, so I did and I watched the screen as Mino was joined by a Houndoom and they play battled. When it came to the screen that would say what item I got however, nothing showed up. When I looked up to ask him if he got anything, the guy was gone.

I didn't have much time to think about it though because it was my turn at the wheel. After winning a phone strap I went to the Pokemon Center and bought some figures and plush. After that it was time to leave, the encounter with the guy and his Houndoom slipping my mind.

I got busy the rest of the month and didn't have time to transfer Mino back into the game. By the time I could, I knew most of the data from the link ups would be lost. It was then that things really started getting weird.

I selected "Return from a Stroll" and set my PokeWalker in front of it and hit the button. "The Nintendo DS will connect to the PokeWalker" it said. I hit the button and the transfer screen started, but then another message came up, "Connection was disrupted, please try to connect again."

I kept trying and the same thing happened each time. It almost seemed like Mino refused to return to SoulSilver. Eventually though, it worked and Mino returned with the message, "Mino has arrived!"

Eager to continue playing, I skipped over everything on the screens until it got to the continue option. When it loaded I found myself in Goldenrod. After taking Mino out of the PC, I went to check on my Houndour in the Daycare. Before going inside I decided to talk to Mino.

"Huh? Mino is holding something… Would you like to take it? Yes/no" I chose yes. Mino made an angry face and another message came up. "Oh! It seems just too important to let go!"

A bit confused, as I've never seen this message before, I tried talking to Mino again and the angry face icon appeared above Mino again. "Mino is making a face like it's angry!" I tried again and "Mino let out a roar!" appeared on the screen. I tried again and again, but these two messages kept appearing. Even walking around didn't make them change.

Wondering if it was just Mino, I switched him out for my Charizard. The question mark appeared over his head too and the message "Huh? Charmer is holding something…Would you like to take it?" yes/no appeared. I selected yes. Instead of the Charizard cry, I heard the Leafeon cry, and the message, "Mino says it's too important to let go."

I go back to the Pokemon Center and try to put Mino back in the PC and another message pops up, "Mino wants to stay." I try again, "Mino says you'll be sorry." This time it works and Mino goes back into the PC.

With my Charizard in the lead I return to where I was before and tried talking to Charmer again. "Huh? Charmer is holding something… Would you like to take it?" yes/no. Selecting yes, I was a bit unnerved to see the same message as before, "Mino says it's too important to let go," but Mino is in the PC, I thought.

I decided right then and there that it was time to turn the game off and restart. I selected "Connect to PokeWalker" and "Go for a Stroll." I immediately selected Mino and selected "Volcano Path." As soon as the message to transfer came up I hit connect.

"Connection was disrupted, please try to connect again," appeared on the screen. After about five tries though, he finally went. I selected continue and returned to the same place I was before, curious what would happen.

This time my Houndoom, who I switched with Mino earlier, was in the lead. Again, the message "Huh? Yurei is holding something…Would you like to take it?" yes/no, appeared. I selected yes, expecting him not to give the item up, but to my surprise he did, "Yurei happily handed it over."

It was a reaper cloth. Suddenly the game started making a strange buzzing noise, and then the screen went black. I tried to restart but the only option was "New Game."

Apparently I must have linked up with a hacked pokemon at the Black and White Tour, or maybe it was the item that was transferred from it when we linked up. Now I realize why I had a hard time transferring Mino back to my game, and why he refused to give up the item he was holding. He was right, I am sorry I didn't listen and let him keep the item. I lost all the special event pokemon, including my Mew, as well as my starter from FireRed.

I started a new game on my SoulSilver the next day, but I can't allow myself to reconnect my PokeWalker. If I did, I'd have to erase the pokemon inside and I just can't let Mino go. If only I had listened… if only.