Fire and Ice

One Little Thing

"Pikachu, tell me. Do I have a sign stuck to my back that says, 'I'm diseased, don't come near me'?" Hawlucha asked. 

"Considering I'm here talking to you, I'd have to say no," Pikachu responded dryly. "Why do you ask?" 

"Then why won't Froakie talk to me?" Hawlucha asked, completely ignoring his friend's question. "I've tried everything I can think of, and he still doesn't want to give me a chance." 

Pikachu considered telling Hawlucha that his elbow was currently resting in a bowl of stew, but decided against it. He was already miserable enough as it was anyway. 

Then Fletchinder spoke up. "Well, maybe he'd like you a little more if you were a little less arrogant. You know, if you didn't pose so much." 

"You really think that would work?" Hawlucha asked skeptically. 

"Well, so far he's always complained about you being too full of yourself, so I don't see why it wouldn't," Fletchinder reasoned. 

Hawlucha thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, okay. You're right; I'll try it." 

Later that afternoon, Hawlucha and Froakie ended up in another double battle with Chespin and Bunnelby. True to his word, when he came out of his Pokeball, Hawlucha did not go through his usual routine of poses. He thought he saw Froakie shoot a questioning glance at him out of the corner of his eye, but ignored it. After their battle was over, the Bubble Frog Pokemon pulled him aside with a curious expression. 

"You didn't pose today," he pointed out. 

"Uh, why?" Hawlucha asked, trying hard to hide how pleased he was that Froakie was actually giving him the time of day. 

"You always pose during battles. And today you didn't," Froakie replied. 

"I know. Why, do you like me better when I don't pose?" Hawlucha inquired. 

"No." 

Hawlucha blinked. "No?" he repeated, certain he must have heard wrong somehow. 

"Everyone has something special about them. For you, it's your habit of showing off every time someone lets you out of your Pokeball," Froakie answered. "Without it though, you're just like everyone else. And I like unique-even if it makes you look like an arrogant prick." 

Hawlucha just smirked. "I knew you liked me deep down." 

"I said nothing of the kind," Froakie retorted, although he was smiling. 

"You're stubborn, aren't you?" 

"You love it." 

"I love you."