26th Move: Snout & About

26th Move: Snout & About

Kurt’s Workshop, Johto.

Down on my knees with balls in my hand, I was surrounded by a ring of people. It wasn’t what it sounded like.

“Alright, last order of business.” Baloo, Yecu, and Tuki all shuffled nervously in front of me as I initiated the release sequence on each of their Pokéballs. Again, this wasn’t what it seemed to be. 

“Stop teasin’ the poor fellows already, will ya?” All misdirections aside, Kurt’s point was valid. 

Everyone, currently slumming it under Kurt’s generous roof, watched as I ceremoniously re-caught each of my Pokémon inside their shiny new apriballs. Registering them in my Pokédex again completed the process. Allowing me to dust off my knees, stand up, and clip all the balls on my belt. 

Normally, this early in the day, I’d still be lounging around in my comfiest pair of sweats and fluffy Lopunny slippers. But I had to swap them out for sports clothes and actual sneakers that had been mouldering in my luggage for the last few weeks. Said luggage was also now packed, and piled next to me instead of strewn in a corner of my guest room upstairs. 

Every bird must leave the nest, and the clock had finally clucked on this cuckoo. “Can you at least leave Tuki, if you have to go?” April peeked out shyly from behind Kurt’s leg and beseeched me with a red-rimmed gaze. 

“Ain’t happenin’, girlie!” Thankfully, Kurt stepped in, preventing me from disappointing a distraught April all over again. “Hiru’s three times his size now, and is gonna need just as much handlin’. Even without that hemmer o’yours, you’ll have your hands full, hear?” 

Reaching over, I tugged on one of her messy pigtails to get her attention. “Tuki’s staying with me, but don’t forget that I still owe you a starter. I’ll get you a Tinkatink even if I have to swim to Paldea myself.” 

“You promise?” Her lip jiggled and her voice wiggled.

“No-!” Kurt tried.

“Yes.” Yet, April pried herself off of him and launched at me when I reaffirmed her request. 

The next leg of my journey almost ended right then and there. Pop-pop-pop! Maybe I should consider sourcing a Bewear instead, because her hug cracked my back all the way to my butt in a single superpowered squeeze. 

Brock took mercy on me and shifted focus over onto himself. “Hey, don’t worry. Chances are I can get the sourcing covered when I eventually set my breeding operation up. Uki deserves at least that much help for tutoring our Pokémon for free.”

He unsubtly elbowed Misty. Her hair wasn’t bound in her usual side-tail, but it was still spiked on one side and flattened on the other. Needless to say, devoid of her complete beauty sleep and even uglier bedhead, only her attitude had fully woken up. “Huh? Ugh… Fine!” She grumbled, mumbled something impolite, and brought out a crumpled slip of paper from the breast pocket of her Luvdisc-themed jammies. “Here.”

She threw it at me; the paper lobbed off my forehead before I juggled trying to catch it. “What’s this?” I unfurled it to reveal some sort of ticket. 

“It’s your entry for the ‘Whirl Cup’ invitational. A water-type only battle competition celebrating the renovation of the safari zone.” I imagined Olivine city and the Whirl islands’ tourism board was quite happy about that. “Brock’s obviously not participating, so we thought we might as well give it to you. So, don’t say we’re ungrateful or freeloaders! And we better see you there—no excuses!” Misty’s hair was orange, so it wasn’t as effective in hiding her blush as she might’ve hoped. 

Temper, temper. “I’ll be there with soothebells on.”

“Woulda been cool if you stayed at Goldenrod first, though.” Ash graciously chose not to revisit my recruitment as a part of his team. “I hear Whitney’s mega tough. Could definitely use those tricks up your sleeve.”

Naoko daintily chortled into the hanging fabric of her own sleeve. “Young Uki will amass even more, I am certain. Perhaps something to anticipate at your next meeting. However, for now, I believe that if we delay any longer, our limited hours under the Ilex canopy will grow too short for adequate progress.” 

I’d have made a quip about her restrictive kimono probably stilting our steps more than an extended goodbye. But Naoko’s clairvoyantly pre-empted that issue by altering her outfit. She kept with her traditional theme up top; adopting only the excessively floral haori, or outer jacket. Everything underneath it was better suited for a jaunt through humid woods. Tank tops, compression tights, and keds. Someone was more gung-ho than I was.

With a final nod, I hefted my supplies and headed for the door. “Time to make some moves!”

–

Route 37, Johto.

Several days of breakneck-speed hiking had Naoko and me absolutely devouring the miles. 

Ilex forest was well traversed by this point. So, after reaching the priority training-stamped clearing, it was barely half a day out before we were out of the foliage again and out into route thirty-five. 

A favourite spot for locals, mostly because it held the expansive Pokémon daycare facilities. 

Where the hustling populace of bustling Goldenrod city dropped their Pokémon off so that they could deal with the grind of their day jobs with the full security of knowing that their pet Pokémon weren’t going to pee all over their furniture. 

Hell of a racket for the undoubtedly wealthy elderly couple who’d been doing this for nigh on decades. I was almost tempted to set up shop right alongside them. Confident that the image-conscious metropolitan crowd would eagerly shell out for extra vanity via apriballs. 

Had I not already been obligated to escort my geisha groupie to Ecuteak, I might’ve seriously considered it. 

The only true obstacle would’ve been starter costs.

Aside from my recent winnings off Bugsy, my means were more meagre than ever—on account of being out of work for so long. So, forget buying raw materials from Goldenrod’s already inflated prices—I wouldn’t even be able to afford rent for an extended period outside the Combee capsules. 

And while I’m unshakably certain that Naoko could afford anything and everything, I was just as sure that she’d forgo any fiduciary responsibility and insist that we share the single mattress sleeper so she could keep a closer eye on me.

Which meant that without need for another jaunt in the GTS, the only thing we did during our extremely brief stay in Goldenrod was to hit the department store.

Daily sundries, groceries—including a return to the specialty berry shop, and even a little stationery shopping. That was all. We skipped the Combee hotel and made a beeline straight out of the northern gate of the city towards National Park. 

Although, that was also a bust. “My, my, young Uki. Are your industrious sensibilities dissatisfied with even this locale?” The undercurrent of exhaustion was hard to miss in her panting tone. Bet she wishes she’d teleported like I’d suggested earlier.

Truth be told, even my cramping calves were experiencing the burn of a week’s gruelling march; but we still had a little for there to go. “No bug contests for the foreseeable future also means no customers, either.” The attendant had quite happily informed us it was an edict passed by Bugsy himself before he returned to Azalea. Whatever earthquake-ish phenomenon had heralded my exit out of Union cave had facilitated Bugsy’s unknowing revenge. Speaking of consequences coming home to roost, “best we avoid route thirty-six, as well. Falkner and I have an… understanding.”

“If I did not know any better, I would assume you are rushing towards Ecruteak. Perhaps to be rid of my presence sooner?” 

“Keep your far too elaborate hair on.” I nonchalantly dismissed her concern. “We’ll be around our ultimate destination’s vicinity, but not the town proper.” Swerving off the sparsely-cobbled dirt path that fed into the main road attaching route 37 to Ecruteak, I guided us towards a thicket of colourful trees. “There’s a massive apricorn grove I’d like to harvest. Then we’ll pitch our campsite slightly off the main road to intercept any gym challengers ferrying themselves between Whitney and Morty for their badges.” 

“Ah, yes, of course. A most resourceful course of action. However, I am compelled to warn you that the particular patch of forest you are referring to is protected rather fiercely by a herd of guardian Stantler.” 

“Maybe so, but the apricorns in there are free. I’m chancing it.”

Despite her stated compunctions, there wasn’t a single twitch of hesitation in her stride as she beatifically continued to follow along beside me. 

Although, I noticed her tucked arms fiddling with Espeon’s ball inside the voluminous depths of her sleeve. 

Heeding that hinted precaution, I stopped for a second. I cupped my hand across my brow and shot a quick glance at the sky. Streaks of orange invading bright blue. “Hmm… late enough that I won’t be able to discern what colour of apricorn I’m plucking under cover of dark by the time we reach the grove—or what startled ‘mon might leap out at us. May as well batten down for the night and go farming in the morning.” 

Naoko’s hands returned to swinging at her side, relaxed. “Prudent.” 

My Pokédex came out before anything else. Using the same built-in survey function, I panned the scanner over my chosen bedroom to catalogue any evidence of Pokémon already potentially squatting here. 

The dex pinpointed Pidgey-shed feathers. Spinarak webs with the cocooned remnants of their Ledian lunch. Stantler hoofprints strangely racing in the opposite direction of their stewardship. And light scorch marks from both Vulpix and Growlithes. “Anomalies detected.” There were, however, more beyond the expected species.

“Hey Naoko, how out of the ordinary is it for Pokémon like Jigglypuff and Clefairy to migrate through here?” Someone native to this section of the region would have insight. “I do not recall any mention of it in the past.” Both our heads whipped to the distant treeline when wood loudly snapped. “Nor have there been reports of the Nidoran line typically burrowing between these roots.” A blur of purple disappeared behind bark at Naoko’s gesture. 

“Odd… But, none of the listed species are particularly harmful. Must be an unreported breakout. No biggie.” Three clicks and resulting red rays heralded the arrival of a little added security, anyway. “They’re skittish enough to stay away from my band of battle monsters, yeah?” I flexed my biceps at my team as I made that announcement.

Baloo, Yecu, and Tuki each responded in kind. A terrifyingly cute chorus of roars, chitters, and whistles too ferocious for anything in these woods. 

“Fufufu. I feel safer already.” Famous last words.

Another sharp series of crunches crackled out from the deeper forest. Less like a twig breaking underfoot, and more like an entire tree toppling over. “I think you just Jynxed us.” 

Naoko and I instantly froze. Careful to avoid any sudden movements or sounds.

All our Pokémon, Espeon proactively bursting out of her ball herself, raced to form a barrier between us and the encroaching noise. 

A pair of sharp white tusks thrust out through the shadows beneath the leaves. A grey, tread-like trunk unspooled next. Periscoping this way and that in soft inquisitive chuffs, as a prehensile snout sniffed us out. 

“Anomaly detected.” Yes, thank you, Pokédex. I think we can all discern that for ourselves!

Either my sense of direction was irreparably lost, or this Donphan was a long ways away from Mt. Silver. 

Clearly we were no threat, as the massive pachyderm quietly trotted out into full view. Conversely, we expressed our alarm in quick intakes of breath and rumbling growls. 

The Donphan was undeterred despite that and breezily stomped its bulk over to us unbothered. 

I was ready to recall my Pokémon and shout at Naoko to prepare a Teleport; that was the only response that would see us dodge the huge Pokémon’s charge, and not trampled under its tread. 

What stopped me from doing precisely that was a red human corpse perched prone, dangling deathly comatose off the very tippy-top of the Donphan’s tyred spine. 

My heart sunk. Blood drained out of me, and aura laced adrenaline flooded in its place. 

This better not be what it looked like.