Chapter 643: Castelia Park (2)
~Azure S. POV~
[Unova Region, Later, Castelia City – Castelia Park]
The crisp afternoon air of Castelia City carried the unmistakable scent of roasted berries, warm asphalt, and the salty breeze of Unova's bustling harbor. Towering glass-and-steel skyscrapers pierced the cloudless azure sky, casting long, geometric shadows over the lush, manicured expanses of Castelia Park. It was an oasis of green amidst the concrete jungle, where fountains babbled, and commuters paused to let their Pokémon stretch.
Right at the center of the park, our little makeshift assembly had drawn quite a few curious looks from passersby. And honestly, who could blame them?
White cheered, her eyes practically sparkling with entrepreneurial pride as her newly caught Marill spun gracefully on the grass. She exclaimed happily, "Look at her go, Marina! Just like that—twirl, pause, and sparkle!"
The little blue mouse Pokémon squeaked happily, brandishing its tail like a baton, sharing the exact same theatrical, showbiz-driven passion as her trainer. A few feet away, Black was practically vibrating with a different kind of energy. He shouted, pumping his fist, "Alright, Scraft! Show me that edge! Keep your guard up!"
His newly retrieved Scraggy—a rough-and-tumble Fighting-type with a sagging, pants-like shed skin—bobbed its head aggressively, snapping its jaw at the empty air with a fierce, battle-hungry intensity that mirrored Black's own relentless drive.
Perched securely on my shoulder, Pikachu let out a soft pika-pi, amused by the display, while Eevee blinked sleepily from atop my head, her tail twitching in rhythm with a passing breeze. Hidden comfortably inside the inner pocket of my jacket, Pichu (Mew) let out a tiny, telepathic giggle that tickled the back of my mind. ' They've got a lot of pep, Dad!'
I mentally sighed, answering my pink cat, adjusting the strap of my Arc Phone, 'Too much pep, if you ask me.'
Porygon-Z's synthesized voice warbled cheerfully through the speaker, "Data indicates extreme metabolic expenditure in both subjects!"
Rotom popped out of the phone's interface in its holographic form, spinning a loop in the air, "Bzzzt! Exactly, Porygon. Their energy levels are off the charts! If they don't eat soon, Black's brain is gonna overheat from all that over-dreaming, bzzzt!"
*GRUMBLE*
Right on cue, a collective, room-shaking rumble echoed through the grass. Black clutched his stomach, his face turning momentarily pale before he blinked hard. Black said with an embarrassed expression, "Whoa. Okay. Strategy meeting adjourned. My internal clock says lunchtime, or my brain is going to short-circuit."
Beside him, Nemona—the hyperactive Paldean Elite Four who had somehow managed to tag along—laughed brightly. She said excitedly, "Ooh! Did somebody say battle... wait, food?! I'm starving! Battling takes a lot out of you!"
Amary and Crispin, the latter of whom was a fiery-haired Elite Four member from Blueberry Academy with a culinary obsession, exchanged knowing grins. Crispin declared, rolling up his sleeves, "Say no more, everyone! You've got a professional chef in the house. Well, elite chef-in-training!"
I added with a smirk, stepping forward, "And you've got an ex-frontier champion who's saved the world a time or two and knows his way around a camp stove."
Within minutes, Crispin and I had set up a makeshift cooking station using portable induction burners and ingredients pulled straight from our packs. The air instantly filled with the mouth-watering aromas of sizzling apricorn-spiced meats, crushed Nanab berry reduction, and a batch of my signature flour-like honey cakes—light, fluffy, and dusted with sweet powdered sugar.
I called out, setting the final platter down, "Alright, everyone. Dig in!"
The reaction was instantaneous. Between Crispin's gourmet flair and my own battle-honed efficiency at outdoor cooking, the group didn't just eat—they devoured. Amary praised, dabbing her mouth with a napkin, "Magnificent flavor profile!"
White exclaimed between bites of a honey cake, "This is incredible! If the BW Agency ever branches into catering, you two are hired!"
Pleased with our resounding success of our culinary arts, Crispin puffed out his chest. He boasted proudly of his culinary skills, "Ha! What'd I tell ya? But don't fill up completely just yet—I prepared seconds!"
Black and Nemona shouted in unison, their eyes going wide, "Seconds?!"
Without missing a beat, the rest of the group—including Roxie, who had sauntered over just in time—scrambled away from the main seating area, rushing headlong toward the secondary cooking crates.
I turned back to the table to grab a fresh tray, only to freeze.
The platters were... spotless. Not a single crumb of the flour-like cakes remained. In fact, a faint smudge of white powdered sugar traced a neat little line off the edge of the stainless-steel tray and straight down into the dew-kissed grass.
I called out, blinking in bewilderment, "Uh, guys?"
Crispin walked up beside me, scratching his spiky red hair. He blinked, asking me, equally confused, "Uh... Azure? Where did the seconds go? Did Black inhale them when we weren't looking?"
Black yelled from across the clearing, his hands full of empty plates, "Hey! I heard that! I haven't even made it to the seconds table yet!"
As the rest of the group gathered around, equally puzzled and looking at the bare trays, a rustling sound caught my attention…
*Swish—swish—crunch*
My eyes snapped toward the edge of the park's pristine flowerbeds. The emerald-green blades of grass were parting, swaying violently in a straight line as something small, light, and remarkably stealthy scurried away from us. I muttered, holding a hand up to silence the group, "Hold on a second…"
Rotom chirped from my pocket, "Movement detected in the underbrush, bzzzt!"
Porygon-Z offered, "Shall I deploy a scanning pulse?"
I shot back, stepping quietly past the picnic blankets, "Not yet. Let's see what we're dealing with first…"
A sinister, utterly delighted whisper in the shadows. It was my Gengar materializing from my shadow, speaking up from her casual spot, and said curiously, "Ooh, are we hunting? Can I use Shadow Ball? Just a little one?"
I retorted with a dry smirk, keeping my eyes fixed on the moving grass, "No collateral damage in the middle of Castelia City, Gengar."
I followed the trail of disturbed turf, stepping past a weeping willow and into an isolated, empty clearing framed by ancient stone benches. And there, sitting comfortably in the center of the mossy dirt, was the culprit.
*Munch-munch*
It was a Venipede. Segmented, vibrant magenta and emerald-green chitin gleamed in the filtered sunlight. Its many little legs were tucked neatly beneath it as it happily nibbled on one of my flour-like honey cakes, holding the delicate pastry between its mandibles with surprising refinement.
A snack thief with high standards, I thought, a grin tugging at my lips.
*Clang*
Reacting on pure, instinctual trainer reflex, I unclipped a Poké Ball from my belt and tossed it underhand. The sphere bounced off the Bug/Poison-type's hard shell, sucking the creature into a flash of red light.
*Wobble—Wobble*
*Click*
...Then, boom!
*BOOM*
The ball burst open in a shower of white sparks!
Before I could even blink, the Venipede whipped its segmented tail around like a steel flail, swatting the empty Poké Ball right back at my chest. I caught it out of the air with a reflex sharpened by dodging my Pokémon attacks.
But by the time I looked up, the Venipede was already a blur of red and pink, rocketing away into the tall grass with staggering velocity.
*ZOOOM*
I gasped, staring down at the empty trail of grass, seeing the little guy run. I exclaimed, "Whoa! Did you see how fast that thing was?!"
That wasn't just normal running speed. That was... blinding.
A spark of fierce competitive drive ignited in my chest. Four-time League Champion or not, there was nothing quite like the thrill of locking eyes with a wild Pokémon that possessed true grit. I murmured, taking off at a dead sprint, "Oh, no you don't! If you've got an Ability like that, you're coming with me."
Black's voice echoed from somewhere behind me as I pushed through a dense thicket of hedges, emerging into another secluded, sunlit clearing, "Azure! Wait up!"
The rest of the group tumbled into the clearing just behind me, catching their breath. In the center of the patch of earth stood the Venipede, taking one final, leisurely bite of the honey cake, completely unbothered by our dramatic entrance.
I pointed forward, my gaze locking onto the Bug-type. I declared, "Oshawott, let's go! Show him some speed of our own! Use Aqua Jet!"
*POP*
From my waist, a Poké Ball snapped open in a brilliant flash of blue light. My Oshawott materialized, completely wreathed in a torrential cylinder of high-pressure water. With a battle war cry, he launched himself forward like a torpedo, aiming straight for the Venipede without fear!
*Thwump*
Water exploded against the dirt.
The Venipede had simply vanished, reappearing a yard to the left with a blinding surge of acceleration that left a faint afterimage shimmering in the air.
*Wooosh*
Black adjusted his cap, his eyes narrowing in analytical focus. He commented with praise, "Incredible agility... and look at its eyes. It's not panicking at all. It's calculating. That Venipede isn't just fast; it's smart."
True to Black's words, the wild bug swallowed its bite of cake slowly, calmly, and then turned its head to beam right at us with a cheeky, taunting glint in its beady eyes. A muscle ticked in my jaw.
*Twitch*
Taunted by a bug barely a foot long? Oh, this was personal.
I commanded, jabbing my hand forward, "You think you're fast? Let's see you dodge this! Oshawott, Water Pulse!"
*SPLASH*
Oshawott spun in mid-air, gathering a swirling sphere of dense, sonic-charged water and hurling it outward. The blue orb expanded rapidly, locking onto the Venipede's heat signature.
*Clang*
A translucent, hexagonal barrier flickered into existence around the Venipede just as the wave struck. I see the Venipede used Protect. The attack bounced off harmlessly, shattering into glittering droplets of spray. Before the mist could even clear, the Venipede flickered again. Speed Boost.
*Swoosh—SPLAT*
Poison Tail!
A dark, dripping purple glow coated the bug's segmented tail as it whipped around in a vicious, high-speed arc aimed straight for Oshawott's chest.
I shouted, "Block it!"
Oshawott didn't flinch. With samurai-like precision, he drew the scalchop shell from his stomach, crossing it horizontally just in time.
*CLANG*
Sparks flew as the venomous strike met shell. The sheer force of the blow kicked up a ring of dust around the two Pokémon, leaving the wild Venipede's eyes widening in utter shock. Its poison attack had been stopped clean, dead in its tracks.
And now it was in perfect position. I commanded in a confident tone, "Now! Up close and personal—Strong Style Razor Shell!"
Oshawott didn't waste a millisecond of the opening. Leaning into the momentum of the blocked attack, he spun low, his scalchop glowing with a razor-sharp, blinding aura of aquatic energy. He swung upward in a fluid, lethal slash.
*CRITICAL-HIT*
The bright blue blade of water connected squarely with the Venipede's armored carapace. A sharp crack echoed through the clearing as the Bug-type was sent airborne, tumbling backward through the air before violently crashing into the trunk of a thick oak tree. It slumped to the ground, small dizzy spirals spinning in its eyes.
*Thud*
Knocked out cold.
I flicked my wrist, tossing a standard Poké Ball, calling out, "Now! Poké Ball, go!"
*Thwack*
*Wobble-Wobble-Wobble*
*Click*
A soft chime rang out. Captured.
I cheered, jogging forward and scooping my starter up into a proud hug, "Yeah! Amazing job, Oshawott!"
Oshawott beamed, letting out a triumphant squeak and striking a heroic pose. Then, something extraordinary happened.
*FLASH*
A bright, blinding blue light began to engulf Oshawott's small frame. White gasped, clapping her hands together over her mouth in sheer delight as she exclaimed, "Whoa! Is he... is he evolving?!"
Amary noted, pushing up her glasses, praising my partner, "Fascinating! The energetic output is skyrocketing!"
I just smiled, keeping my thoughts to myself.
I know, buddy. You've been holding back for a long time.
Mentally, I knew Oshawott had crossed the threshold of necessary experience levels ages ago—back during training. But my little otter hadn't wanted to rush it. He had deliberately chosen to hold off his evolution, refusing to change until he had completely mastered the fundamentals of his moves in both Strong and Agile styles.
*Shiii*
The light faded away, revealing a sleek, bipedal form. Taller, sharper, and exuding a quiet, dignified air of martial discipline, my Oshawott stood proudly as a Dewott.
The newly evolved Dewott looked down at its hands, flexing its limbs and appraising its newfound strength with a serious, contemplative nod. Then, without missing a beat, it reached down to its hips, drew its twin scalchops, and began methodically sharpening them against one another with a low, rhythmic schwing-schwing.
*Schwing—schwing*
The group stared in stunned silence.
Black muttered, sweat dripping, seeing Dewott's antics, "Whoa... Your Pokémon... they're just as intense as you are, Azure."
I smirked hearing that. I then checked my Dewott's status info.
[Dewott, the Discipline Pokémon. Around its waist is a large, dark blue, fringed arrangement of fur, with two scalchops on the thighs. Dewott is known to have a studious and stern nature. Dewott's scalchops are detachable, and Dewott regularly trains to use combat techniques with them; these techniques differ between individual Dewott. It refines its skills through dedicated and repeated training and carefully maintains the quality of each scalchop.
Its flowing double-scalchop techniques can defeat even those who master the art of swordsmanship. Humans have modeled their swordplay by observing Dewott's deft movements while wielding its two scalchops. When exposed to the harsh environment of Hisui, Dewott gains an additional Dark-type when it evolves into Hisuian Samurott.]
|Name: Dewott (Discipline Pokémon)
|Type: Water
|Tera: Water
|Level: 27
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: [Mystic Water]/[Muscle Band]
|Ability: Torrent
|Nature: Serious
|Moves: Protect, Focus Energy, Swords Dance, Soak, Water Pulse [A][S], Aqua Jet [A][S], Aqua Cutter [A][S], Razor Shell [A][S],Liquidation [A][S], Slash [A][S], Fury Cutter [A][S], Aerial Ace [A][S], Revenge [A][S], Cut [A][S] (HM), Surf [A][S] (HM), Detect (EM) (0 moves left to learn)
I chuckled, recalling my newly caught prize. I then quickly checked my new guy's status screen for the info I needed to know.
[Venipede the Centipede Pokémon. Two short feelers banded with black extend from its hindquarters, which it uses in addition to its antennae to explore its surroundings and detect prey by sensing air vibrations.
Venipede is highly aggressive for its size, and its bite injects a poison strong enough to paralyze large bird Pokémon. It often gets into fights with Sizzlipede, a related species. Venipede tends to prey on any Pokémon it thinks it can eat without considering its actions thoroughly.]
|Name: Venipede (Centipede Pokémon)
|Type: Bug/Poison
|Tera: Poison
|Level: 18
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: None
|Ability: Speed Boost (Hidden Ability)
|Nature: Adamant
|Moves: Protect, Defense Curl, Toxic, Poison Sting, Poison Tail, Fury Cutter, Infestation, Rollout, Pursuit, Toxic Spikes (EM) (1 move left to learn)
Oh, this guy's good. Like Meta Good.
Grasping the Poké Ball in hand, I smiled happily. I tossed it out, stating, "That's just how we roll. Come on out."
*POP*
I tapped the Poké Ball on my belt, releasing the Venipede onto the grass. The Bug-type stirred, pushing itself up on its many legs. It looked down at its scraped shell, then up at my Dewott—who was still calmly polishing his blades—and finally at me. Its expression was one of sullen disappointment; it had lost fair and square.
I knelt, meeting the wild Pokémon at eye level. Then I praised him, "You're fast, tough, and you've got a lot of fight in you. But if you want to get even faster... if you want to reach a level where nobody can ever outrun you... you should do it with us."
I held out a hand, offering a fresh, untainted honey cake on my palm.
The Venipede stared at my hand for a long, quiet moment. Slowly, its antennae lowered, and a sense of profound mutual respect flickered in its dark eyes. It let out a soft, affirmative chitter, leaning forward to accept the treat, "Veeee!!"
Rotom announced cheerfully from my pocket, "Dunadun! Venipede has officially joined the squad, bzzzt!"
Behind me, the rest of the group broke into cheers, echoing through the peaceful expanse of Castelia Park. With a new teammate secured, a newly evolved partner ready for the Unova League, and the afternoon breeze carrying us forward, I couldn't help but grin. And I can't wait for Mega Scolipede.
/////
A/N: Hope you like the chapter!