Ash's Story (Part 6: Unova)

Chapter 30: Listening Through Fog

Cilan knocked over lunch by accident.

One moment the food smelled warm enough to pull everyone toward the camp table. The next moment, a loose pan slipped from the edge of the stone he was using, the stew tipped, and lunch spread across the grass in a sad, steaming disaster.

For a few seconds, nobody moved. Even Emolga stopped reaching for Iris's apple slices, as if the ruined meal was too serious for theft.

Cilan froze with both hands still raised. "A connoisseur's carelessness has destroyed the harmony of our lunch."

"It was an accident," I said quickly.

Alice nodded from beside the scattered plates. "No one thinks you did it on purpose."

Cilan lowered his hands and looked at the ruined food like it had been a partner he had failed. "Then I must remake it myself. Please allow me to repair the flavor properly."

I understood that look better than he probably thought. Sometimes help did not help because the person needed to fix the mistake with their own hands.

"All right," I said. "I will not cook this time."

Cilan bowed gratefully, though the guilt still sat on his face. "Thank you, Ash. I shall restore lunch with proper care."

While Cilan started over, the rest of us spread out for training. Pikachu practiced quick timing with Zebstrika, Scraggy glared at Axew like their draw still needed a final answer, and Dewott watched every water move with frustrated focus.

Tympole usually stayed near the damp patch with the other Water types, but this time I could not hear his familiar bubbling call anywhere.

I looked across the training area again. "Hey, where is Tympole?"

The question cut through the camp faster than any alarm.

Golly immediately crouched near the damp ground, with Gastly drifting over her shoulder. "Tracks. Small. Uneven. Heading downhill."

I followed the marks too quickly, slipped on wet grass, and slid down the hill before anyone could grab me.

Something round struck my chest at the bottom and knocked what little breath I had left out of me.

For one dizzy second, I thought another Egg had rolled into me. Then I saw a larger blue Pokémon hiding behind my legs with embarrassed eyes and vibrating bumps on its head.

"Palpitoad?" I asked softly. "Is that you? You evolved?"

Palpitoad peeked around me with a guilty croak and a proud little shake.

Pokédex Entry Updated — Ash and Alice's Shared Unova Record

Palpitoad, the Vibration Pokémon. Water and Ground type. When Palpitoad vibrate the bumps on their heads, they can make waves in water or earthquake-like vibrations on land.

"Why did you run off like that?" I asked, kneeling in the grass. "You made me worried."

Palpitoad's meaning came sheepish and proud. "Body changed. Ground loud. Water louder. I wanted to feel both."

Alice and the others arrived, breathless from the hill.

Alice reached me first and touched my sleeve before checking Palpitoad. "You made me worried, Ash."

"Sorry," I said. "But Tympole evolved."

"That is great news," Eve said. "Now Electric moves will not work on it because of the Ground typing."

A Vanillite floated from behind a scrubby tree, and Iris yelped loudly enough to scare Emolga.

"What is an Ice type doing here?" Iris shouted, backing up with Axew in her arms. "Get that Pokémon away from me!"