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Togepi | ? | ? | ? | ? | ?
Betty Delacroix Cross
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Betty did a u-turn back to Route 202. There, she figured, training could commence. Perhaps a different approach could be taken to ease the fairy into a Pokémon battle? Metronome would do wonders, yet maybe abusing dazzling gleam against those who are weak to the move's typing would jumpstart the fairy's drive.----
Togepiiii~! she sang upon the sight of nature, limbs flailing in anticipation of what life may bring. ----
Well, it brought Pokémon fighting. Once Betty found an unsuspecting Weedle nibbling on leaves she cautiously approached the critter. Togepi wiped the frown off her face, believing she had no other choice than to be docile were she to be a trainer's Pokémon.----
In the background one could discern Drifloon, who had long given up on being discreet as a result of the child that clung to his strings. He was convinced the human toddler had limited amounts of energy, and attention span, that they would have eventually found Drifloon to be tedious. To his dismay they did not.----
But Betty was an oblivious one. Not one encounter, glimpse, or acknowledgement of the child and floating balloon had been made throughout her time in the city. Although Togepi had noticed the duo in the background she did no action to alert Betty to them. It was a mere human toddler and harmless Pokémon, to the fairy's eyes, so there was no cause for alarm.----
"Ari-Ack, if I want to stop using the bad nicknames I need to stop using them," Betty reminded herself, hands massaging her forehead in annoyance. Togepi glanced up at her trainer in confusion. "...okay. Togepi, ready? We're gonna see how lucky we get with metronome." The fairy cried in agreement, mentally preparing herself for yet another brawl for the day. Little did Betty realize that the concept of pain terrified the small fairy.----
"Okie dokie then, Metronome!" Her starter's arms glowed white, a move in the process of being fabricated. The nibbling Weedle detected the togepi, appetite then vanishing. Peeved and still famished, the bug adorably marched down the tree trunk and on to the grass beneath. Upon seeing Togepi draw near the bug took a defensive stance, stinger ready to strike. "Be careful by the way!" Betty added out of concern.----
Togepi nearly stumbled towards her approach, catching the bug off guard. But their frustrations returned as soon as Togepi unleashed a flurry of slaps. It was Double Slap. "Eh. I guess it could be worse. Why do I expect something cool everytime I tell her to use it?"----
Without hesitation the bug lifted its stinger amidst the slaps, fury in their eyes. Not a second later the stinger was slammed down on to Togepi's skull, halting her slaps. Betty gasped in panic.----
"Metronome!" she blurted out on instinct upon witnessing her dear Pokémon lose their balance. A trembling Togepi obliged, arms raised to perform. The bug reacted quickly, leaping and gaining air above the terrified egg.----
Then... Togepi vanished. Weedle flinched midair and plopped on to the ground in astonishment. Betty grew just as perplexed, eyes scanning the environment for signs of her togepi. It didn't take long however; a white blur plummeted before Betty's presence, landing face-first against the soft grass below.----
It took only but a mere few seconds for Betty to process what had just unfolded. But the bug knew immediately and made a dash, taking advantage of Betty's snail-paced reaction time. At last a look of bewilderment developed on her soft face, hands shooting up in horror. "OH MY GOODNESS, TOGEPIIII!" She scooped the injured fairy from Weedle's line of sight. This however did not halt the bug's rampage, stinger still held high.----
WeeeeEEEEE! it screeched with unrelenting anger. They stabbed the grass inches from her shoes, alerting Betty to his presence. "W-w-waitwaitwaitwait please stopstopstop!" she cried in distress, feet dancing around to evade the sharp stinger that had transformed Togepi into a sobbing mess.----
Weedle refused to pause, continuously jabbing their sharp weapon against the inexperienced trainer. Betty's movements were no longer quick and smooth, but the mere thought of the pain that could ensue if she ever failed made her steps choppy and irregular. "Please!" she begged in unison to Togepi's anxious cry. "StopstopstopstopSTOPSTOP-"----
Betty kicked the Weedle, propelling them into a pile of nearby bushes. Panic caused her to act irrationally and without thought, having done so unintentionally whilst having tried evading the stinger.----
Both hands shot to her mouth, embarrassed she goofed. "Okay... okay. Time to go, let's go," she ordered herself out of the vicinity, afraid to confront the same dilemma. Out of curiosity Betty glanced her surroundings for anybody who might have witnessed her hiccup... And there was.----
It was a young girl. A toddler, to be precise, who was holding what appears to be a balloon-like Pokémon. They each carried different expressions, shock and annoyance respectively. Togepi continued to sniffle upon seeing them, somewhat content that she had been rescued during the rampage.----
Her parents weren't anywhere in sight, but surely they weren't far off? I-I'm sure their mom or dad is nearby, yup. Probably in that bush... or that tree... or camouflaged... underground? Embarrassment was longer a priority.----
Betty sheepishly smiled at the strangers, whom didn't respond in return. Within a few steps a small voice began to pester the trainer and her morals. Of course the child was by themselves - who is she to believe they would be comfortable with them in the wild at such an age? Then again not all parents are like her own.----
She paused. There was hesitation in her movement, but she swiveled and began to zig zag towards the small girl. Drifloon sighed in relief. "Ello!" Betty broke the ice with a quick wave, kneeling to the toddler's level. "Are you um... lost?" The last word had been said in a careless whisper, eyes scanning the horizon for any adult silhouette. To her dismay there was none.----
A nod was all the reply she needed to see, prompting Betty to continue. "Do you uh, know where your mom and dad are? I can walk you there-"----
"Teevee!" the child spat out. "We was in the teevee station!"----
"Oh! I know what you're talking about! I think."----
"Here! It's here!" the child remarked, hands yanking and tossing the balloon like a ragdoll. In fear of a crying toddler Betty simply gave the child her backpack in exchange instead of asking her to stop. ----
Driiiiiiif! the balloon gasped out, body dizzy from the onslaught it just experienced. Upon seeing his strings no longer with the monster he floated down in relief, like a feather. Togepi giggled and chirped in delight at new company. With the fairy's hands grasping the strings Drifloon settled himself on to Betty, body slumped over her shoulder with Togepi securing him in place.----
Suddenly one by one adults clamored out of the building and on to the unsuspecting child, whose name Betty did not know until now. Mary. At first confusion dominated her figure, pushed aside by the incoming crowd. Voices began to rise in volume as if it were a contest to see who was the loudest; some showed frustration whilst others demonstrated joy.----
Then it clicked.----
As quickly as they stormed out the crowd returned to the building, Mary and all. All that was left of the surreal event was her backpack and a forgotten Poké Doll. How convenient. Bystanders continued their lives, none congratulating the heroic efforts of Betty Delacroix Cross. Unintentionally she led a missing toddler back to where they were searching, easing their qualms. Unfortunately the trainer wasn't acknowledged once. Perhaps the sight of Mary took priority, to which Betty understood.----
The panicking adult Betty had encountered earlier in the day rushed back inside, to which she proceeded to scoop the doll and attempted to return. "H-hello? Yes, wait! I think she lost her doll!" But her presence was ignored. She watched as the doors slowly shut, a small draft of wind hitting her already cold face.----
Betty stood before the station, hand toying with the doll in deep thought. Should she go there... then, perhaps, she may confront live television and interviews. The room could either shove her left and right or suffocate her with attention, both of which the options she would rather never experience.----
The new trainer turned and took in the sight of the towering buildings before her. "Uh... Okie dokie then! Let's uh... hm." Drifloon had long fallen into a deep sleep that prevented Betty from releasing him back into the city. She may not be willing to carry another problem, but she wasn't cold-hearted either. Leaving the balloon stranded in the city amidst sleep could lead to a series of unfortunate events."So... I guess I could wait until you wake up," Betty mumbled. She began to walk towards the Pokémon Center with a calm fairy and sleeping companion, whom she was already getting attached to. The body was warm despite resembling a gas-filled play thing. And it made her smile.
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During the journey she began to replay the day's events. A starly had been rescued. A toddler had been... returned? As much as Betty desired to claim the heroic deeds, it was unintentional. Not only did she not recognize Mary's description matching that of the panicking woman, but she didn't even ask for a name.
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