22.

Cat's Paw

Sprigatito kept his distance, the Growlithe threatening him with their bulk and berry smeared faces. He dodged their bites using the trees and bushes as cover, noticing with some concern the marks they left behind. They were bigger, stronger but not fast.

He remembers his girl's commands, the blue bird flying and spinning, dodging and twirling. Move, move!

Sprigatito growls.

The grass cat is faster, taking his chance scratching one, two, three, hiding behind a bush. A Growlithe spits out twigs and leaves, a sour taste in its mouth. Another crashes against a tree, Sprigatito grins. But it's the bigger Growlithe who watches, stays still and lets out embers from its mouth. Sprigatito yelps, dodges, a quick attack to the face, hides behind the bush and…and…

…the scent of something burning. It's faint.

The ember missed him but the forest isn't safe. Sprigatito can see his mistake, and so can the Growlithe, grinning with malice. Another ember, straight to the trees. Sprigatito cries out. Another ember and another. A bush, a tree, the grass, the inferno is small but growing. He's trapped.

One of the Growlithe grins gets closer, closer, spitting fire out of his nose. Sprigatito hisses, trying to stop the flames from licking his fur. Another Growlithe gets closer, mouth open wide. The last, bigger than the rest, licks its lips, grinning.

Suddenly, barking in the distance and from the flames, running at full speed, tripping and rolling straight into one of the Growlithe, Spirgatito sees Houndour.

"Sprigatito!"

The grass cat looks up; it's his girl!


Liko can smell the smoke before she can see the fire.

It's getting dark, and she knows she should have called Mr. Nanu by now, knows they should have boarded the Magnet Train to Saffron but Sprigatito is so close.

Houndour found the scent. He didn't have to go too far but Liko is no faster than she was when Sprigatito left running.

The dark Pokemon makes a turn, nose glued to the pavement before he starts barking and barking and before Liko knows what's happening, Houndour dashes straight into the bushes. More barking, she can see the flames and beyond them Sprigatito and Houndour facing the Growlithe as the fire rages on.


Liko knows a forest fire this close to the city is no good and thinking quickly releases Rotom. "Quick! Rotom! Spin and use hydro pump! No matter what happens, don't stop spinning!" Rotom, taking note of the fire around them, nodded and floated above the trees, and began to spin. Water all over, water everywhere. But the fire has grown too big and Rotom is just one.

And from somewhere a familiar voice whispers, "...my power…take it…" and something snaps.

It happens so fast, Liko doesn't know what's happened until she sees Rotom, spinning all over, starting to glow, shining like a crystal, breaking, spinning and spinning.

Everyone's covered in water, and the fire is dying down.

Liko feels her pendant, hidden away in her pocket; Rotom terastalized, the girl is sure of it. But…how? Did the pendant…Terapagos do it?

A Growlithe barks, annoyed at the dizzy Rotom floating in the sky. It's about to jump but Sprigatito is faster, pushing it away with a quick attack. Houndour tried to help too, tackling or rather tripping head first towards the other Growlithe, headbutting him hard in the face. Rotom, above it all, spins again, unable to stay afloat and falls but before the big Growlithe can bite it, Liko returns the Pokemon back to its Pokeball. But that's enough to alert the big Growlithe who's finally taking notice of the human that's ruined their fun.

Growlithe growls, an ugly grimace on its face and runs towards the girl, who freezes, unsure of what to do for a second before a hiss and a tackle stop the Growlithe in its tracks.

Sprigatito hisses as he stands between Liko and Growlithe. He growls, louder and louder, a faint glow surrounding the grass cat until it engulfs him.

"...just once…"

Liko looks away for a second, and then, standing tall, different, determined, is Sprigatito, no Floragato, standing firm and ready.

Houndour trips to Floragato's side, growling at the Growlithe, a trio again, bark and growl at them all. Floragato glances at Liko behind him and nods. Liko gives him a determined smile.

It's time.

"...end it."

And in the shadows, hiding behind wet trees, Liko swears she sees the masked stranger as the fight begins anew.