"Zorua, Extrasensory. Rufflet, Aerial Ace."
Zorua glared at rufflet, neither one of them doing as he asked. King sighed. Their opponent, amoonguss, danced around. Then its head began to glow.
"Oh, come on. It's using Solar Beam. Rufflet, Aerial Ace. Zorua, I swear, don't you move a muscle."
Rufflet bolted forward, squawking. It crashed beak-first into the amoonguss, who toppled over into a puddle like a fallen tree. Rufflet flew around happily over its unmoving body.
Zorua whipped around and glared at King.
Sir! How could you?
He shrugged, shifting to adjust the pack slung over his shoulders. He didn't have to worry much about money, not after the tournament, so he'd bought it and a few supplies before leaving Opelucid City. "Try working with rufflet next time."
Zorua huffed and turned its back on him. He frowned, sighed again, and went over to return rufflet to its Pokeball. Once it was, he looked around for any sign of another Pokemon to fight.
Trees scattered the flat swampland in patches, long stretches of glistening water between them. He was pretty sure summer had ended some time ago, evidenced by the splotches of reds and yellows and oranges stained through the green. After Opelucid City, he'd decided to head for Icirrus City, where the ice gym-leader Brycen made his home. King had first crossed the Tubeline Bridge, to get here: Route Eight, where he decided rufflet and zorua could use a fair amount of training before he attempted his second gym badge.
He studied the area, watching for any movement among them that might indicate the presence of a nearby Pokemon. He found nothing.
Zorua trotted over and rubbed up against King's ankle like a purrloin.
What're you looking for?
"Looks like you're over your little pouting session," King said. Zorua frowned at him. "Why do you refuse to work with rufflet?"
No reason.
"Zorua."
What?
"I'm not playing these games with you."
It isn't a game! There's no reason. I just don't like him.
King turned away from looking around and squatted down to meet it at eye level. "Listen. Think back on the tournament. Because you didn't like rufflet, I couldn't have you both attack the same target or even have rufflet protect you when you needed it. That could have cost the match. You're going to have to work with rufflet, whether you like it or not, so tell me why you won't so I can fix it."
Zorua looked away. King sat, drumming his fingers on his knee for a long while before it decided to speak.
Do you remember when you found me, sir? In the alley? I was so happy! Those other people, they wanted nothing to do with me, but you, sir, were different! You took me in and cared about me. I wanted to work so hard to repay you, but… but what happens when you catch more Pokemon? I'm afraid you're not going to need me anymore, sir!
King blinked. "Woah, let me clear something up first. I only came to get you that time because I wanted to use you in the tournament, not because I felt sympathy. Mature up a little, zorua. That's probably your issue."
The wind rustled through the trees. Something splashed in one of the nearby ponds.
Sir? Are you joking?
"What? No."
Tears welled up in the corners of its eyes. King started in surprise. Pokemon can cry? Since when is that a thing?
You're not serious!
"I am, I mean-"
It darted into the woods.
"Hey!" King called, shooting to a stand. He fumbled for zorua's Pokeball. Once he unhooked it, he looked up and aimed it.
Only zorua had already disappeared.
He slumped, scratching the back of his head. "What the hell is this all about?" He looked for any black or dark red amid all the other colors.
Zorua was gone.
He circled a large puddle, heading in the direction it had run. He buckled the Pokeball at his waist, shaking his head. Well, shit. Guess I have to go find it. He scanned ahead, looking from left to right.
He started forward.
As he progressed further into the marshland, away from the main road, trees became less sparsely populated and instead bunched together in dense thickets that shaded the sun overhead. He considered sending rufflet to scout the area. Eventually, though, he resolved that, with all the trees, it wouldn't do him much good. Besides, the last thing he needed happening was to get caught alone by one Pokemon or another while he didn't have one to defend himself with. The calls of all sorts of them echoed through the swamp.
He checked in trees and through swatches of thick undergrowth, and by the deep pools of water, sometimes waiting by them. He watched for tracks or tufts of black fur that might've gotten caught on some bark or a branch but found nothing. The sun sunk in the sky. He was wasting time.
He slumped against a tree, wiping sweat from his forehead with a sleeve. Dammit, it's hot. No sign of zorua. His mouth felt dry, and his tongue swollen.
He slipped off the straps of his pack, then slid down to sit with it next to him. He dug out a bottle of water, downing it all in one go, then tossed the empty plastic back inside. He sighed and leaned his head on the tree. Better.
Where could zorua have gotten to? Why did it run away in the first place? He guessed that it hadn't realized it wasn't anything special to King. Could Pokemon even feel that level of emotion? Apparently so. Or maybe it was a zorua thing. He'd never met another Pokemon that could speak through telepathy, either.
He zipped his pack and stood, having regained his breath, and slung it over his shoulders. Suppose I'll-
Something cried out in the distance. King stopped, listening; it sounded like a zorua.
He jogged in that direction, pushing through trees and stepping over bundles of undergrowth. The cry sounded again. King sped up. Don't die on me. I need that illusion ability!
He broke through a clearing, where a vast, sparkling lake took up space in the center. To his right, a black bundle of fur crouched against a tree, desperately trying to shield itself from an onslaught of attacks dealt by a dozen tympoles, all dousing zorua with jets of water.
King charged. Zorua looked up, cringing against the pain.
No! Stay away! I can do this on my own! I'm good enough!
He ignored it and chucked rufflet's Pokeball into the air. It appeared, morphing from a ball of light.
"Tail Wind!"
Guests of air beat at the surface of the water, sending ripples coursing through it. The tympoles wailed and dove underneath the water. King jogged over to zorua, where it huddled against the base of the tree.
I'm good enough, sir. You'll see. You don't need any other Pokemon. I'll be… the best.
King sighed. He returned it to its Pokeball. "I'm sure you will, zorua. I'm sure you will. Just don't make me have to chase after you again."
Rufflet squawked. King tucked the Pokeball in its place and turned, seeing rufflet circle around in the air. Something in the water had its attention.
King came to the edge of the lake, blinking. One of the tympoles hadn't fled with the others.
It smiled lazily. King grunted, squatting down.
"What's up with you?"
It blew into the water, creating bubbles that popped at the surface.
"Well," King said. "Nothing like a good seismitoad."
He tossed the Pokeball at it. The device floated, shook three times, then clicked. King fought the urge to laugh as he grabbed it out of the water, standing up.
"Not much resistance, eh?"
He held it in front of him. "Nice. Now that that's settled, let's stop wasting time."
He walked over to rufflet's Pokeball, and returned it inside once it flew down at his call. Far off in the distance, he thought he could make out the faint shape of buildings atop a hill.
"Icirrus City," he said to himself. He put rufflet with the others. "The second gym badge is calling my name."