Catching Totodile

The Krabby before them was in just such a predicament with the Armor-Piercing Fire.

Unless Mutant Phanpy dispelled it, the fire would keep burning.

Krabby was being scorched without respite, and its whole body was in agony.

Now was the time to catch it.

"Now!" Liu Xin shouted. "Throw your Poké Ball!"

Sen Anxiang followed the motion he had taught her yesterday, striking a sexy pose as she threw the Poké Ball.

If someone else tried to catch it, Krabby might refuse to submit and break free, so the odds of failure were high.

Liu Xin had Mutant Phanpy block its escape route in case it burst out of the Poké Ball and ran.

But Sen Anxiang's sexy pose seemed remarkably effective. It worked every time.

The Poké Ball shook a few times, then gave a crisp chime to signal a successful capture.

Sen Anxiang was so happy she threw her arms around Liu Xin. "This is great! I have a second Pokémon, and it's a strong one!"

"Thank you, Liu Xin."

This girl really had no sense of keeping her distance from men. Her sweet scent left Liu Xin dazed, too.

After all, he had been a shut-in in his previous life. When had he ever been close to a girl?

That hug just now had been his first. What a sad man he was.

Sen Anxiang held the Poké Ball, trembling with excitement.

But they still had unfinished business. This was only the first step.

"Sen Anxiang, now it's time to use Krabby to chase Totodile."

"You'll have to command Krabby yourself. You can do it."

When Krabby came out, it showed no desire to fight and was quite friendly toward Sen Anxiang.

As for Liu Xin, it gave him a very different look.

It seemed Sen Anxiang had a natural affinity with Pokémon. That was a good thing.

Shiny Cubone and Rapidash were nearly exhausted from the chase, and Totodile was getting tired, too.

But the waterway went on for a long stretch before opening up. Once Totodile reached the wider water, it could shake those two nuisances.

That was Totodile's plan, and it was almost at the spot where the river widened.

Just then, Krabby dropped from above and fired a Bubble Beam straight into the water.

Totodile was forced to stop, its expression darkening.

Krabby roared, using Taunt on the Totodile before it.

At level 14, Totodile was hopelessly outmatched by the level 21 Krabby.

In fewer than three exchanges, Totodile sailed out of the water in a graceful arc and landed on the ground.

It was not badly hurt, but it could no longer get away. It was surrounded on all sides.

Shiny Cubone, Mutant Phanpy, and Rapidash stood on land, with Krabby in the water. How could Totodile escape?

"Totodile!"

It backed away step by step, its face tense. The situation looked grim.

Sen Anxiang smiled. "Totodile, can you tell me why you took my bag?"

"If you wanted food, or something inside it, you could have asked me."

"You're so cute. I definitely would have given it to you."

Clearly, Sen Anxiang intended to catch Totodile.

That made things much easier for Liu Xin. He would not have to talk her into it. Once she caught Totodile, his task would be complete.

At last, Totodile tossed the schoolbag over, looking both resigned and aggrieved.

"Cubo, cubo."

"Phanpy."

"Totodile."

They had actually started talking to one another.

But what were they saying? No one could understand them. It made Liu Xin want Team Rocket's Meowth, a walking Pokémon translator.

That reminded Liu Xin of Pokémon Language, and he immediately searched the system shop.

It really was there, and the price was not too steep. He bought it for 50 Points.

Congratulations, host! You spent 50 Points to learn Pokémon Language. Remaining Points: 100.

As soon as he learned Pokémon Language, he understood what the Pokémon were saying.

After listening for a while, Liu Xin worked out what Totodile had been trying to do.

"So Totodile wasn't trying to steal the schoolbag. It just wanted to play. Apparently, this is a game it's played for ages."

"No trainer ever managed to catch it before, so it always returned the bag when the game was over."

"But this time, its luck ran out, and it got caught."

It had been chasing a thrill and wound up getting itself caught.

Ito Hei stared at him. "You can understand Pokémon Language? How come I never knew?"

"Then tell me what Rapidash says. It makes strange noises every time I ride it."

"I've always wondered, but I can't understand a word Pokémon say."

After asking Rapidash, Liu Xin nearly burst out laughing.

Seeing him laugh so hard, Ito Hei grew anxious.

"Come on, tell me! What does Rapidash usually say about me?"

Liu Xin took a deep breath. "Brace yourself. What I'm about to tell you might change how you treat it."

"Those strange noises are simple enough. Rapidash finds you annoying."

"It's a female Rapidash, and you're always jumping on her back for no good reason. Sometimes you ride her just to go a few dozen meters."

"She thinks you're a real jerk. If you weren't her trainer, she'd have kicked you long ago."

"What?!"

Ito Hei looked as though he had been struck by lightning.

"I always thought those noises meant Rapidash liked it! How could they mean that?"

"I don't believe you. I'm going to ask Rapidash."

"Rapidash?"

To his surprise, Rapidash really did confirm it. Her expression and gestures made the answer unmistakable.

Ito Hei froze in place and withdrew into himself.

Totodile put up little resistance. Unable to beat Krabby, it was caught by Sen Anxiang without a fight.

"Ahhh, I'm so happy!"

"Thank you, Liu Xin! I caught two Water Type Pokémon at once, and they're both so strong."

"Thank you so much! Mwah!"

She planted a quick kiss on Liu Xin's cheek, beaming with joy.

Liu Xin's mind short-circuited. He gently touched the warmth left on his cheek and murmured dreamily, "So that's what a girl's kiss feels like?"

"It really is just like they say. Warm, with some kind of magic. I..."

His brain had stopped working altogether. He could barely get the words out.

In the end, neither of them took part in the Gym challenge that night.

One had shut down, and the other could no longer think straight, leaving Sen Anxiang to attempt the challenge alone.

The next day, the three met up.

Sen Anxiang proudly held out the South China Gym badge. "Look, look! I got the badge!"

No way.

No matter how he looked at it, Sen Anxiang could not be stronger than Misty. How had she won it?

Sen Anxiang giggled. "Sakura gave it to me. She said I was so cute there was no need to challenge the Gym, and handed it over for free."

"She just handed it over?!"

"Was that even allowed?"

Liu Xin and Ito Hei were stunned. Liu Xin soon recovered, though. If he remembered right, the South China Sisters had handed out badges for free in the anime, too.

So it was not all that strange for them to do it here.