21.
Houndour Lite
Sprigatito remembers the day he met his girl.
The girl had tried touching him, he scratched her. Love at first sight, or whatever. He was just going to have to deal with it, Sprigatito figured.
And the days passed, and he realized he didn't mind the girl as much anymore. He gave her permission to pet his head, to hold him close. He liked to be pampered.
His girl was warm and kind.
Sprigatito hadn't thought too much about his power.
He was perfect, inside his head, at least.
The grass cat hadn't thought much about battling, losing to messy girl's Oshawott had made him hate water more than getting dirty fighting.
That Umbreon waiting for them had changed everything for Sprigatito.
He hadn't realized how weak he actually was until it tried to protect his girl, instead he was pushed aside and his girl had to protect him but his girl wasn't like Sprigatito, like Umbreon, like that Magneton that paralyzed him and that Beheeyem that scared her to her doom.
Sprigatito tried not to think of his girl screaming into the night, and him lying paralyzed unable to do anything to stop the pain, to stop Umbreon from hurting his girl.
He couldn't save her.
It was chance that saved them, chance and Terapagos.
And Sprigatito still wasn't strong enough.
Sprigatito was gone.
Liko couldn't see him anywhere; already the street was getting crowded with people and Pokemon alike, coming and going, no Sprigatito in sight.
The girl knows her Pokemon couldn't have gone too far but she's too slow. Her limp made her fall too far behind and by the time she turned a corner, Sprigatito was nowhere to be seen.
Liko tries not to panic, tries to think, think…but everything rushes like a hurricane, reminding her she's weak, that she's nothing, that…
…the pendant.
Liko can feel the warmth that comes from the pendant hidden in her pocket, breathing in and out, trying to think.
If she panics, she loses.
Think, Liko, think!
Sprigatito couldn't have run far. Goldenrod was a big city, full of turns and dark alleys, and beyond the safety of the houses and buildings lay the National Park at its exit and Ilex Forest at the entrance.
Liko stares at the street, one way, that way.
Sprigatito had probably run to the entrance of Goldenrod…that is, if he didn't turn around when Liko couldn't see, and ran past the gym, past everything, straight to the park beyond the city limits, away from Liko, away from everyone.
The girl frowns, blinks, and remembering takes out a Pokeball.
Sprigatito could smell the burnt berries in the distance, scowling at the waste. He could smell the dirt, too, of the rowdy Growlithe nearby, three in total. They looked big and fat, or maybe that was just their fur but it wasn't like Sprigatito cared.
He knew that only a real challenge could make him stronger.
That Clefairy got lucky because she was faster…at least, that's what Sprigatito wants to tell himself.
He needed a trial by fire to be strong.
Sprigatito kept hidden, not knowing why he was hesitating. The fat Growlithe were right there…except they were staring at him, fruit juice all over their chubby faces, growling.
Houndour let out an excited bark, making circles around his new trainer, tripping over his feet but never losing his smile. Liko was reminded of her father's Fidough, only to shake her head and ask Houndour to track down Sprigatito, an order she had to repeat a few times because the dark Pokemon was so excited to see her again.
"Can you track Sprigatito, Houndour?" Liko asked. Houndour, a smile still in place, nodded enthusiastically before he slammed his nose to the floor, a little too hard. "Are you okay!?" Houndour only began to sniff, not caring about the bruise forming on his nose, following an invisible path only he could see. He barked again, nose on the ground, as if arguing Liko to follow.