My name is Imogen. I'm a student at Stratford-Upon-Avon High. I have quite a number of female friends, but for good reason. Beatrice, Kate, Miranda, Paulina, Rosalind, Viola and I are magical girls! I'm the leader, Ingenue Garnet.
Anyway, today, Miranda, bright-eyed, shows me a drawing she did between classes. The drawing shows a cute little yellow creature. It has big ears and a long stem extending from its head. At the end of the stem is a plant leaf.
"Wow, that's very pretty!" I said to my friend. "Did you dream about this creature?"
"No, I saw it while walking to Stratford-Upon-Avon High!"
"Saw it?"
I find it hard to believe Miranda. After all, she's an otaku and has a vivid imagination.
"You've got to believe me, Imogen. It was climbing up on a plant leaf. That's how I saw it. I drew it to prove I didn't imagine it."
"Then let's go find it!"
"Now? But school's not over yet!"
She's right and I'm not skipping school, unless there's a "Magical Girl emergency".
"After school, then." I say to Miranda. "Will you warn the others for me?"
"Of course!"
We return to class.
After class, I met up with Beatrice, Kate, Miranda, Paulina, Rosalind and Viola. The teens were waiting for me.
"Imogen, hi!" Viola says to me, cheerfully.
"Hi Viola."
"So we're looking for the creature Miranda drew?" Kate asks.
"This is exciting!" Paulina says. "It's like going on an adventure."
"Yes, you're right." Rosalind adds.
"Then show us where you saw it." Says Beatrice to Miranda.
"Follow me."
Miranda takes us to where she'd seen the yellow creature, but it's gone.
"Oh no..." Miranda said sadly. "Where could it have gone?"
"Let's look around." I say to the girls.
"But watch your step." Rosalind says. "You don't want to crush it."
"How high is it?" Asks Paulina.
"Oh, it's tiny." Miranda replies. "I'd say no higher than 3 centimeters."
"It's really small." Viola says. "Let's keep our eyes open."
My friends and I move slowly forward, searching for the yellow creature. Rosalind, while searching, bends down to take a closer look at the ground. Viola and Kate do the same.
Finally, I see it. It climbs on my shoe and makes a sound.
"Hey, you." I say softly so as not to scare it.
The creature makes another sound and starts climbing up my leg. I'm ticklish so I start laughing.
"Imogen? Why are you laughing?" Viola asks me.
"The creature... ha ha... I found it... ha... it climbs on me... ha ha ha, it tickles!"
As my friends move towards me, the creature continues to climb. It's now on my long red dress.
"Wow!" Kate says. "Look how small it is!"
"And cute." Says Paulina.
The creature arrives on my right shoulder and stays there.
"Looks like it's adopted you, Imogen." Rosalind says with a smile.
The yellow creature begins to make very different sounds. Like syllables from an alien language.
"I bet it wants to tell us its name!" Miranda says, all excited.
"Pi... Pi..." Said the creature.
"Pi?" I asked.
"Pi... Pi... Pi... Pik..."
"Pik?" Viola asks.
"Pik... Pik... Min... Min...!"
"Pik...min? Pikmin?" Beatrice asks.
"Is that your name, Pikmin?" Viola asks.
"Pik... Min... Pik... Min...!"
"That's it, Pikmin! Nice to meet you, I'm Imogen. These are my friends Beatrice, Kate, Miranda, Paulina, Rosalind and Viola."
The Pikmin stops saying its name and makes sounds of joy. At least, we think they're expressing joy.
"Now who's going to keep it?" Miranda asks.
"Can we keep it? I mean, maybe it's living in the wild." Questions Rosalind.
I think about it and then I have an idea. We'll walk into town. If the Pikmin wants to stay with us, it'll stay on my shoulder. If it wants to leave and live in the wild, it will be free to do so. My friends think this is a great idea.
So we walk into town. We go to a park. The Pikmin stays on me, but often looks at the surroundings and my friends.
"Well, it's curious, but I think it wants to stay with you." Kate concluded.
Miranda is disappointed. She would have liked to keep it at home.
"You can come and visit me." I suggest to Miranda, which consoles her.
Then we say goodbye and head home.
In my bedroom, the Pikmin climbs off me and drops onto my bed. I watch as it explores its new surroundings. Pikmin, a fascinating creature. I wonder if there are other species. So where does it come from? Another planet? I have the impression that someone has taught it to pronounce its name. Who could it be? Many mysteries for us.