[attr="class","kiminoimg"]

[attr="class","kiminolyric"]

SO YOUNG

[attr="class","kiminolyric2"]

my light burning bright everlong till the thrill is gone love's my battle cry it's never wrong how I stay so strong i'll fight all my life i'm all like I can't go on when I can't go on...

[attr="class","kiminopoke"]

[attr="class","kiminolyric"]

A LOADED GUN

[attr="class","kiminolyric2"]

togepi won. togepi leveled from 40 to 42. togepi learned encore.

[attr="class","kiminothing"]

@someone

[attr="class","kiminoright"]

Well, now what?[break][break]

Jenna chucked her empty drink, watching it land into the closest recycling bin with a victorious swoosh. She guessed she could swing by the Game Corner and blow some extra cash. Maybe, if she was lucky, she could win a decent chunk back and spent it at the Department Store... “Nah.” The girl murmured to herself, resting her cheek against her open hand as she scrolled through the notifications on her phone.[break][break]

Email? Delete. Random texts? Delete.[break][break]

The young Ranger did not see the streets clear. She did not see the crowd on her street quickly shuffle to another. All she saw was a flicker of color; something smooth and soft, like cream.[break][break]

Her eyes flickered up from the screen, staring at the wild Persian that was crouched. Its eyes were focused on the girl... and the bun of hair that sat atop her head, which looked similar to a ball of yarn. Its pupils were dilated. Its tail was snapping back and forth. Every ounce of the Persian screamed that it was preparing to lunge.[break][break]

“H-hey... kitty, kitty, kitty.” The Ranger said to try and placate the creature. It failed.[break][break]

Jenna had to dive to the side to avoid the swiping strike. The Persian was on the offensive. “No! Bad! Bad cat!” Now she wished she had a squirt bottle filled with water... As she scrambled to her feet, the normal-type was preparing for another strike. It was playing rough, that was for damn sure.[break][break]

So, Jenna chose to retaliate, and deployed one of the pokeballs from her waist. Tink the Togepi appeared... and the Ranger could swear she heard an onlooker snicker at the sight of the tiny egg preparing to battle against the much larger Persian. They'd realize their mistake.[break][break]

“Metronome.” The Ranger ordered, watching Tink give a tiny shake of her fingers as she prepared for whatever attack the move would choose. As Tink glowed yellow, Jenna could only presume it was electric in nature.[break][break]

It was Thunder Wave. The Togepi released the move outward from her round body, catching the Persian off-guard as it lunged to strike the egg out of the way. Engulfed by the paralyzing electricity, its attack failed and it collapsed to the ground, twitching and struggling to regain movement.[break][break]

“Ancient Power.” That sealed the deal. The rock-type move blasted against the struggling normal-type, rendering it unconscious before it could continue to attack Jenna and her poor hair. “...Phew.” That had been close.

[attr="class","kiminoimg"]

[attr="class","kiminolyric"]

SO YOUNG

[attr="class","kiminolyric2"]

my light burning bright everlong till the thrill is gone love's my battle cry it's never wrong how I stay so strong i'll fight all my life i'm all like I can't go on when I can't go on...

[attr="class","kiminopoke"]

[attr="class","kiminolyric"]

A LOADED GUN

[attr="class","kiminolyric2"]

togepi won. togepi leveled from 44 to 46.

[attr="class","kiminothing"]

@someone

[attr="class","kiminoright"]

The trouble was far from over.[break][break]

Jenna barely had the chance to brush the dirt from her knees when she spied another wild pokemon making their approach; a scyther. It seemed keen to her Togepi and her surprise victory. The tiny egg was stronger than she appeared to be... and she was undaunted by the approaching bug as it prepared for battle. The Ranger could spy the gleam of the sun as it reflected from the Scyther's bladed arms. For a split moment, she wondered if it would be wise to let her Togepi tangle with a foe with greater mobility and reach.[break][break]

Tink charged, her little legs struggling to carry her, as she returned the challenge.[break][break]

Jenna felt the urge to slap her hand against her face, watching her egg-pokemon waddle aggressively towards the bug with fully functional legs, sword hands, and wings. “Don't you think that's a bad idea?” Tink flapped a hand in Jenna's direction before she sprung up from the ground to attack the taller foe–[break][break]

And Scyther batted her away with a slap of its wings, sending the egg bouncing as she collided against the concrete. She seemed surprised–like she hadn't seen the attack coming. “Keep it cool, Tink.” Jenna had to reassure her. “Don't lose your cool--” And the Ranger had to flinch when the Scyther lunged once more.[break][break]

This time, Tink was ready–but not to dodge. She had learned her lesson. Instead, she summoned Ancient Power one more time and had countless tiny pebbles collide against the bug mid-attack. The bombardment did not stop the approaching Slash, but it did deal damage.[break][break]

Tink flinched as a blade chipped against her shell, nearly hitting her soft flesh. Jenna had picked herself up and charged towards her egg, not wanting to risk her health. That had been a close call. Too close–[break][break]

Togepi used Metronome. This time, she was engulfed in flames. Inferno.[break][break]

Jenna had to rear back to keep herself from drenching her hands in the hot flames. The air that radiated from the egg was hotter than she had ever imagined. It was the same as standing next to a smelter. The close proximity was almost strong enough to burn.[break][break]

And the Scyther took the full brunt of the attack as Tink performed a small hop, colliding her pointed and burning skull against its gut. She won; but, she had not kept her cool.

[attr="class","kiminoimg"]

[attr="class","kiminolyric"]

SO YOUNG

[attr="class","kiminolyric2"]

my light burning bright everlong till the thrill is gone love's my battle cry it's never wrong how I stay so strong i'll fight all my life i'm all like I can't go on when I can't go on...

[attr="class","kiminopoke"]

[attr="class","kiminolyric"]

A LOADED GUN

[attr="class","kiminolyric2"]

togepi won. togepi leveled from 46 to 48. togepi evolved into togetic.

[attr="class","kiminothing"]

@someone

[attr="class","kiminoright"]

Jenna scooped her flustered Togepi from the ground, holding her close to her chest. That battle had upset her. Even if Tink won, there was still a glaring weakness that the egg-pokemon had to accept. It was the same weakness that encouraged Jenna to lift her from the ground. She wasn't fast. She wasn't physically strong. Her limbs struggled to carry her from one place to another. Metronome was just a gimmick–even if it could trick her into thinking she was stronger than she actually was.[break][break]

“Don't let it get to you.” Jenna had known Tink long enough to know when her mood was soured. “Won't be like this forever,” even if it seemed like the Togepi had stubbornly refused to evolve.[break][break]

They walked. Tink stubbornly refused to acknowledge Jenna's words or the countless towering buildings of Kogane that she would have been excited to see. “You'll ruin your whole day if you keep pouting like that.” The Togepi beat at Jenna's chest with one of her tiny hands... but not too hard. Tink wouldn't throw a tantrum, but she was certainly frustrated. “Come on. We'll get ice cream.”[break][break]

That worked. Tink perked up her head, trying to stay angry as her trainer approached the nearest ice cream parlor; she wasn't fooling anyone. One glance at the Togepi told Jenna that she'd be just fine. The bell rang as the Ranger pushed through the doorway, finding herself standing in an empty room. Even the cashier was gone. “...Are they on a lunch break?” The Ranger checked her watch as Togepi glanced for signs of life, feeling as if her hopes were slowly dwindling. “Hey, don't worry, someone's around here somewhere–”[break][break]

That was when Jenna heard an urgent tapping on the glass behind her. The Ranger turned her head, making eye contact with a employee that was feverishly shaking his head and gesturing to the door. “H-huh?”[break][break]

A cold hand gripped her shoulder. A Haunter breathed against the back of her neck. Jenna shuddered and violently ripped herself away from the bizarre ghost-type. “Tink!” The Togepi was in no mood for battling, but the faster this foe was defeated, the faster she could enjoy a cone of ice cream.[break][break]

She used Metronome, even if it pained her to twirl her fingers for the hundreth time. When an attack was summoned, the small egg conjured a dark ball of condensed energy and blasted it against the creepy ghost-type; Shadow Ball. It hit and caused enough damage to the Haunter to cause it to fade, almost losing its spectral form as it sunk to the ground, defeated.[break][break]

“I know you're getting sick of it, but you'll be able to battle differently soon enough–” Tink was glowing. “...Or... right now.” Jenna smiled, holding up her Togepi as she shifted into a Togetic; newly formed wings extended from her back. She blinked, once and then twice, as she stared at Jenna with pure and utter confusion.[break][break]

“You know what that means, right?” Jenna suddenly smirked. “Means you like me.” Tink looked mortified, trying to squirm out of Jenna's grasp; but, the Ranger could see the happiness that glowed in her eyes. Everything worked out, in the end.