Wonderlocke - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Really?” asked David in annoyance. “You’re a Flying-type for goodness sakes. Must you sit on top of my head?!”

“I may happen to like being up here,” said the Fletchinder with his beak turned up into the air. “I may happen to like you, and enjoy the company of this team. I may even be grateful to you for being lucky enough to wind up with me as one of your team and the kindness you have shown all of us. But, that doesn’t mean I have to take orders from you. Not yet anyway. You need to earn my respect for that to happen.”

“Uh-huh,” groaned David. “So you’re just going to perch up there the entire time I train with Spike and the Froakie pair?”

“You better believe it,” exclaimed Flint in cheerfulness.

“Can you at least leave Casper alone?” asked the boy with an unimpressed frown.

“A cutie bug like him?” asked the fire bird as though the question was one of redundancy. “Now why would I do that? He’s like a rare blossom swaying in the breeze. Plus, he’s even cuter when flustered. Almost makes me wish I had the Flame Body ability instead of Gale Wings so I’d be hot enough for him to want to snuggle up to.”

The butterfly Pokémon in question turned his head in their direction with very wide red eyes. He didn’t say anything as he faced forward again, but was fluttering a little further away from them.

“Besides,” continued Flint. “I have this weakness for fellow Flying-type Pokémon.”

“So I’ve noticed,” grumbled David with a scowl.

“Sorry to interrupt,” said Fredric loudly over anything the bird may have said. “Here we are. In the heart of Route 22 and we can expect to come across Pokémon and Trainers anywhere. We need to be prepared for anything.”

“Alright,” replied David. “We’ll split up and do some one-on-one helpful training. According to my Pokédex, Felix, Timmie and Spike are still very low leveled and probably shouldn’t be battling on their own until they level up a bit.”

“Aww man!” complained Spike with a scowl as he adjusted the ribbon he’d insisted be tied across his face to cover one of his eyes. “But I totes can take care of myself!”

“Fredric,” continued the boy while eyeing the Squirtle. “Can you train with Spike? I’m pretty sure you’re going to have your hands full.”

“Agreed,” muttered the fire fox while also eyeing over the turtle. “I know his nature well.”

“I can’t help it dude,” grumbled Spike. “My nature be Naughty and my attacks be stronger.”

The fox grimaced as he rolled his eyes. He snatched one of the water turtle’s cheeks in a paw. “You’re coming with me.”

“Hey! No! Ouch!” yelped Spike in protest as Fredric dragged him off into the nearest patch of tall grass. “What happened to you being of Gentle nature?! Let me be!”

“Rrrrrrrr,” piped up Flint in smugness as he made a rolling ‘R’ sound. “Try not to be … too naughty!”

David glared up at the bird snickering on top of his head. “I can put you back in your Quick Ball.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” asked the bird. “You won’t be able to spend quality time getting to know me if I’m cooped up in a ball. Besides, I think the cutie bug will be missing me too much.”

“Uh-huh,” grumbled the boy. “Casper, would you be a good friend and take Timmie to do some training?”

The young Froakie wearing a blue ribbon around his middle like a karate belt glanced around swiftly with wide eyes at the mention of his name.

“Right,” said the Butterfree quickly while ignoring the bird who was making wolf call whistles. “If you’ll come with me, I’ll help you level up somewhere away from the ruckus around here.”

With his shoulders raised and his head ducked, the small frog nodded slowly and followed the butterfly quickly. David watched them disappear into a different grassy patch than the one Fredric had gone to.

“I’ve been scorched!” exclaimed Flint in obvious mock hurt. “My affections rebuffed. The horror.”

“Somehow I think you’ll live,” groaned the boy while rolling his eyes. He crouched down so he was able to address the remaining Froakie. “Looks like it’s just me and you, Felix. Don’t mind my fashionable new hat. It’s merely there for decoration since it won’t be battling with us.”

“Flamed on all sides!” exclaimed the Fletchinder in a withering tone. “I don’t know how much more I can handle!”

David chose to ignore his dramatics as he continued to address the Froakie with a purple ribbon wrapped around one of his shoulders. “So instead of just throwing you into battle, I think we’ll gain a little experience first by watching how Fredric and Casper do with training Spike and Timmie.”

“Okay …” replied the Froakie in slow hesitation.

“Enthusiastic this one,” grumbled Flint with his wings crossed. “Of all the Pokémon you could have paired me up with, it’s the one who doesn’t give me any replies to work with.”