Twigs 'n' Frubbles
A Fennekin x Froakie One-shot Series
#10: The Jab
"Froakie, quick, use Bubble!" Ash commanded.
Froakie obeyed and fired multiple bubbles at his opponent, a Croagunk.
"Go, Froakie!" Fennekin cheered from the side, "Win this one!"
"Croagunk, stay still!" Shouted the Toxic Mouth Pokemon's trainer, a slender boy with a black mohawk and wearing punk clothing. His name is Ned.
"What?!" Serena looked puzzled, "He's just gonna let Croagunk get hit?"
"I think I have an idea why." Clemont watched the battle intently, "But I could be wrong."
Croagunk stood still as Ned ordered and the bubbles exploded on impact. After landing on the ground, Froakie looked up confidently, expecting his opponent wallowing in defeat. However, once the mist cleared, Froakie saw to his shock Croagunk remaining in his stance, unfazed by the attacked and all of the past injuries inflicted by Froakie disappeared.
"Huh?!" Ash exclaimed, "But...how?"
"I knew it!" Clemont said.
"You fell right into my trap, Ash!" Ned laughed, "Croagunk's ability is Dry Skin. If he's hit with a Water-type attack, it will do nothing more but heal him."
"Uh oh!" Ash thought, "How can I beat Croagunk, now?"
"Croagunk, use Poison Jab!" Ned shouted.
Croagunk's hand glowed purple and it charged at Froakie.
"Froakie, dodge it!" Ash yelled.
It was too late. Croagunk uppercutted Froakie with his Poison Jab, sending him high in the air.
"Oh no..." Fennekin winced.
"Now, finish this with Brick Break!" Ned ordered.
Croagunk leaped into the air after Froakie. Its hand glowed white, then it struck Froakie downward with a karate chop. The Water-type crashed on the ground immediately, followed by an explosion of dust. After it cleared, Froakie struggled to lift himself up, but Croagunk's attacks proved too great for him and he fell back over with a breathy grunt.
"Froakie is unable to battle." Bonnie called, "This match goes to Ned and Croagunk!"
"Awesome job, Croagunk!" Ned fist-bumped his partner before returning him to his Poké Ball, "Have a good rest, pal."
"How you holding up, Froakie?" Ash approached him.
The Bubble Frog Pokémon managed to sit up and rubbed the back of his head. He looked up at Ash and smiled.
"I'm alright, I guess." He said, "Froakie, Froak."
"Froakie!" Fennekin appeared before him, "Are you alright? Tell me, please!"
"I'll be fine, Fenney." Froakie stood and brushed the dirt off his body, "You win some, you lose some. Thanks for cheering me on."
"I'd never miss one of your battles." Fennekin giggled before kissing his cheek, "Better luck next time, okay?"
Froakie chuckled and grin as he rubbed his spot Fennekin kissed.
"Is it me, or do Fennekin and Froakie seem to like each other?" Clemont turned to Serena.
"I've noticed that, too." Serena watched the Water and Fire-types smile at eachother, "Hmmm..."
After the battle, Ash and Ned shook hands and they went their separate ways.
Later that day, the group broke for lunch in a park in the middle of the city. Froakie started to feel dizzy and his appetite disappeared almost instantly.
"Froakie, what's the matter?" Fennekin asked after finishing her bowl of food.
"I...don't." Froakie stuttered, "I'm fine."
"You don't look fine" Fennekin said, "You haven't even touched your food, and you're wobbling around a lot."
"No, I'm fine...I think."
Froakie's eyes started to droop. Fennekin noticed a purple shade appearing on his face.
"I'll be o-okay, Fen-fenny."
"Froakie, you are definitely not okay."
Froakie suddenly collapsed right in front of her.
"Froakie? Froakie?!"
"What's the matter with him?" Pikachu appeared.
The Water-type was lying on his back with his eyes closed, breathing slowly, and shaking incrementally. The purple shade on his face darkened.
"Oh no, I think he's poisoned!" Pikachu exclaimed.
Upon hearing this, Fennekin gasped. "Ash, Serena, help!" She cried.
Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie hurried over after hearing Fennekin's calls.
"Froakie!" Ash lifted him up.
"What happened to him?" Bonnie asked.
"He's been poisoned." Ash responded.
"That's not good." Clemont shook his head, "We ran out of antidotes just the other day."
"And we don't have any pecha berries." Serena added.
"He's in really bad shape." Ash said, "I need to get to a Pokémon Center, and fast!"
"You go on ahead, Ash." Clemont said, "We'll pack up and meet you there!"
"Gotcha!" Ash took off down the street.
Fennekin followed the boy.
"Fennekin, no!" Serena called, "Come back!"
The Fox Pokémon ignored her and continued after Ash and Froakie.
"I'm sorry, Serena." Fennekin thought, "I can't leave Froakie alone at a time like this. He needs me!"
As Ash sprinted toward the Pokémon Center with Froakie in his arms, he had a strange feeling he was being followed. He stopped and turned around to find Fennekin right behind him, panting.
"Fennekin?" Ash stared at her.
"Why are you stopping?!" Fennekin barked, "Let's go. Hurry!" "Fenn, Fenn, Fennekin!"
Still unsure why Fennekin was tailing him, Ash nodded and proceeded toward the Pokémon Center as fast as he could.
"You're gonna be okay, Froakie." Ash whispered, "I promise."
"Nurse Joy!" Ash cried as he ran into the Pokemon Center with Fennekin close behind him, "Nurse Joy, I have an emergency!"
Ash did not notice that Ned happened to be at the very same Pokemon Center, sitting across the room reading a magazine. He, along with many other patrons, looked over in surprise at Ash's sudden arrival.
"Huh?" Ned thought, raising an eyebrow, "What's he doing here, and what happened to Froakie?"
Ash approached the service desk and Nurse Joy was able to examine Froakie.
"He's been poisoned." Ash was catching his breath.
"Okay, bring Froakie over here." Nurse Joy guided Ash to a Wigglytuff nurse with a cart.
Ash gently placed Froakie on the cart's cushion and Wigglytuff pushed it down the back hall.
"You're welcome to come with us and wait outside of the emergency room." Nurse Joy said.
"Ash!" Ned called as he approached him, "What's going on?"
"Oh, hey Ned." Ash turned around, "It's Froakie. He's poisoned."
"Oh no, did Croagunk do that?" Ned gasped.
"He might've." Ash replied, "But don't worry about it. Froakie should be fine."
"That's so strange." Ned said, "Usually if a Pokemon gets poisoned by Poison Jab, it's instant. I wonder why the effect was so delayed."
"I don't know." Ash shrugged, "I better tend to Froakie, though."
"Hey, if there's anything I can do." Ned mentioned, "Just let me know."
Ash nodded to him before heading down the back hall with Fennekin.
Ash and Fennekin waited several minutes on a bench outside of the emergency room. Fennekin rested on Ash's lap, worried out of her mind.
"Where are the others?" Ash sighed, "It's been a long time."
On the meantime, Froakie was in the emergency room having the poison ejected from his body. The process was taking longer than usual and Fennekin started a cry a little.
"Froakie's gonna be just fine, Fennekin." Ash carefully stroked the Fire-type's back, "You're very worried for him, aren't you?"
"Yeah..." Fennekin whimpered, "Fenn..."
Ash remembered Fennekin kissing Froakie's cheek after the battle with Ned. It puzzled him at first, but now he realized Froakie and Fennekin are head over heels for eachother. He decided to remain quiet and not have the tender moment with him and Fennekin become awkward.
"Ash!" Serena called.
She, Clemont, and Bonnie made their way down the hall. Fennekin leaped off Ash's lap into Serena's arms, while Pikachu rejoined Ash.
"My sweet Fennekin." Serene hugged her, "You had me so worried."
"Are you mad at me?" Fennekin wondered. "Fenn? Fenn?"
"I know why you went after Ash and Froakie." Serena said, "I understand. You like Froakie, huh?"
Fennekin nodded.
"That's so cute." Serena giggled, "Just you wait, you'll be seeing you're little boyfriend up and about, healthy as ever in no time."
"Boyfriend?" Clemont asked, "That must be why Fennekin never leaves Froakie's side."
"Awwwwwwwwww." Bonnie grinned.
All of a sudden, the doors of the emergency room opened and Nurse Joy walked out.
"Will Froakie be alright?" Ash stood up.
"He's gonna be fine." Nurse Joy smiled, "There was more poison in his system than we anticipated. If you didn't get here sooner we would have needed to do some serious operating. I must advise you all to carry antidotes, pecha berries, and full heals at all times."
"Of course." All four of them agreed in unison.
"It was a delayed effect, though." Ash added, "He didn't get poisoned until much later."
"That's awfully strange." Nurse Joy thought, "I'll have to inform the Pokémon scientists about this. It was a Poison Jab that caused this, right?"
Ash nodded.
"Alright, well here is your Poké Ball." Nurse Joy handed Ash Froakie's Poké Ball, "He'll need lots of rest, though."
"Thanks so much, Nurse Joy." Ash smiled.
Nurse Joy waved the group goodbye as they left the Pokémon Center.
"Ash!" Ned caught them before reaching the exit, "How's Froakie?"
"Healthy again." Ash flashed his Poké Ball.
"That's good to hear." Ned said, "Here, I'd like you to have these." Ned handed Ash a large pouch. He looked inside to find several pecha berries.
"Wow, thanks Ned!" Ash chuckled.
"Think of it as a token of my apology." Ned smiled, "You four take care now."
Ash and the others bid Ned farewell before leaving the Pokémon Center.
"We'd better find a Poké Mart." Clemont said as they returned to the park, "We'll have to buy a lot of antidotes for the trip."
"But Ned gave us all those pecha berries." Bonnie said.
"It's best to be extra prepared." Clemont replied.
"Sounds good." Ash said, "Anyways, I think Fennekin would like to see someone."
Ash released Froakie from his Poké Ball. The Water-type looked good as new.
"How you feeling, Froakie?" Ash asked.
"Great!" Froakie croaked, "Kinda tired, though." "Froakie! Froakie. Froak."
"I'm happy you're okay." Serena said.
"Me too!" Clemont followed.
"Me three!" Bonnie cheered.
Froakie grinned from all of the kind words.
Fennekin leaped out of Serena's arms and slowly approached the Water-type. Her eyes were welling with tears.
"Fenney, I'm..." Froakie started to apologize for putting Fennekin through all that stress, but the Fire-type tackled him with a passionate hug.
"I thought I was gonna lose you." Fennekin said, tears running down her face.
"I'll always be with you, Fenney." Froakie hugged her back, "I love you, remember?"
"And I love you, too." She sniffled.
They gazed into each other's faces and Froakie wiped the streams of tears from her cheeks. She smiled gratefully.
"So, is there something you two would like to share with us?" Serena stepped in.
The fox and frog exchanged looks before turning back to their trainers with bright smiles.