Chapter 18

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Geodude was slower, and he looked tired. Frillish had done a great job, but now it was time to finish this.

“Rollout!” Roark said immediately.

The Geodude scrunched up into a ball and began to roll toward Togepi. It was incredibly fast thanks to Rock Polish, but if it was going in a straight line, that wasn’t a problem. I waited as much as I could until I slammed my foot twice against the ground hard.

A pink heart hit Geodude, prompting it to veer off course and ram into Kadabra’s barrier.

“Fairy Wind as long as you can!” I said.

“Geodude, get up!”

Pink mist began swirling around Togepi and then rushed toward the Geodude. It keened in pain, but was still too disoriented to do anything. For the next few seconds, I thought that this was it. That there was no way he’d be able to withstand such a move after that onslaught he had suffered fighting Frillish.

I was wrong.

“Snap. Out. Of. It!” Roark bellowed.

Geodude shook itself, and then faced Togepi, who was too tired to keep up her Fairy Wind.

“Now Rollout again! Zig zag randomly to avoid Sweet Kiss!”

“Dodge with Rollout! Run away!”

Togepi retreated into her shell and fled, but the Geodude was faster than her. It caught up and rammed into her, sending her headfirst into a rock.

“Togepi!”

She slowly got back on her feet, but she was staggering now. One more hit and she was done. I clenched my fist.

“Fairy Wind! I know you have another one in you!”

“Get behind something!”

The Fairy Wind was weaker than it had been before, but it still hit the Geodude before he managed to take cover.

“Now, get ‘em!” Roark continued.

Geodude rushed toward Togepi, grabbing her and slamming her against the ground. My hand hovered over her Pokeball as I wondered—

Snap out of it! There’s still hope—

Geodude threw her high into the air before using Rock Throw and hitting her.

Ah. It’s over.

But suddenly.

High up in the sky.

A light began to shine.

She was like a star.

Togepi was surrounded by a blinding light as her body morphed and elongated. She never hit the ground.

“Togepi, you’re— you’re flying!”

“Geodude, Rock Throw, crush variation!”

I snapped out of my daze. There was no way to know if she had learned a new move, so I stuck to what I knew.

“Try to dodge! Then Fairy Wind!”

Togetic clumsily beat her wings and dodged whenever she could as she gathered fairy energy around her. Rocks began to swirl in the wind as she gathered everything she had into one last attack.

“Go!” I said.

“Getic!”

The wind was faster now, and thicker. Geodude rolled behind a rock, but Togetic could control it better now. The wind curved around the boulder and slammed Geodude against the psychic barrier.

“If I hear or see anyone talking about you in a bad way, I’ll knock ‘em out.”

“And then you’ll go to jail for assault,” I chuckled.

“Worth it. But seriously Grace, don’t let anybody take this way from you. This is your accomplishment. You worked hard for it, and you deserve it. Enjoy the win.”

It was finally sinking in. I was a good trainer. I wasn’t a prodigy or even a top contender, but I was fucking good.

“Thank you, dad. I love you.”

“Love you too, future champ,” He said. I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help but smile. “Make sure to treat yourself to something.”

“I will. Denzel’s taking me somewhere— although I still don’t know where.”

“Alright, well I won’t annoy you any longer. You kids have fun! Bye!”

I hung up, and after a few moments, I started skipping around my room.

“I’ve got a badge! I’ve got a badge!”

——

A few hours later— just before we were supposed to head out to meet Roark— I got my Pokemon back. I brought them out and brought them into a tight hug as soon as we were back in my room.

“You guys... you did so good,” I said, feeling tears well up in my eyes. “I’m so happy we’re partners.”

Togetic let out a familiar chirp, and Frillish wrapped his cold tentacles around my back.

“I love you,” I told them both.

After a small heart-to-heart, I freed them from my grasp.

“We’ll review the battle later to see what we can improve on,” I said. “Mind if you go in your ball again, buddy?” I asked Frillish. He shook his head, and I returned him. “Now, let’s take a look at you,” I told Togetic.

She had grown so much. She stood slightly taller than two feet, and her shell had been absorbed into her body. Every Togepi had a unique pattern on their shell that would be imprinted onto them when they became a Togetic, and this was no different.

“Can you try flying for me?” I asked.

“Toge!” She answered right away.

She began flapping her wings and clumsily got into her air, knocking over all kinds of items I had laid on the room’s counter. She continued until she hit a wall and then fell on her back.

“Alright, we can work on that,” I said. “I wonder how you even fly.”

Togetic’s wings were small for a body of her size, and she shouldn’t have been able to fly under any realistic circumstances. Maybe she was using some kind of fairy energy to help her float. Either way, I scanned her with my Pokedex.

Togetic, the happiness Pokemon. Togetic is said to be a Pokémon that brings good fortune. When the Pokémon spots someone who is pure of heart, it is said to appear and share its happiness with that person. No records exist of Togetic being seen in the wild. It evolves under the loving care of a trusted human companion, upon whom the Pokémon then bestows great joy. It can float in midair without moving its wings.

Type: Fairy, Flying.

Ability: Hustle

“Seems like you think I’m kind-hearted. I’m flattered,” I joked.

“Tic!” She cheered.

“Let’s try this again. Apparently, you’re supposed to be able to fly without your wings. I think they’re just for maneuverability,” I explained.

Togetic nodded and began to float like Frillish could. When she was unable to stop, she wiggled her feet and arms around. It didn’t help. She hit the ceiling and then fell to the ground again. I crouched at her side and caressed her face.

“You okay, princess?”

She smiled as she wrapped her tiny arms around me and snuggled into my chest.

Still as cute as ever, I thought. Now it was time to check for any new moves. My Pokedex displayed the moves Extrasensory and Ancient Power, which surprised me. I had no idea Togetic could be this versatile, but I wasn’t going to complain. Still, that meant two new moves to work on, along with her flying. And that wasn’t even adding Frillish to the mix, who I wanted to start working on too now that I didn’t have to focus so much on Bubblebeam.

But that was all in the future. For now, it was time to go meet Roark.

TEAM:

Togetic - Pound, Sweet Kiss, Growl, Headbutt, Fairy Wind

Frillish - Bubblebeam, Night Shade, Absorb, Water Sport