The hotel room at the Hearthome Pokémon Center was cozy, but as I was quickly discovering, it wasn't exactly designed for the rigorous rehearsal of a Pokémon Contest routine. Between the two twin beds, the desk, and Growlithe's oversized sleeping mat, the "stage" was roughly the size of a large rug.
"Okay, Togepi, let's start with the basics," I said, clearing away a pile of guidebooks to give him more room. "We need to work on the rhythm of your Encore. It needs to be more than just a move; it needs to be a performance."
"Togepi-pri-pri! (Ready! Ready!)"
Togepi stood on the duvet, his tiny feet sinking slightly into the soft fabric. He wiggled his stubby finger, and a faint, pulsing blue light began to emanate from his body.
"Hmm," I rubbed my chin, watching him. "It's good, but it's a bit static. When you use the move, try shaking your whole body along with your finger. It adds that extra 'wow' factor—it makes it look like you're caught up in the music. Like this!"
I stood up and did a little shimmy, waving my finger in the air with a dramatic flair.
"Togepi-pri? (Like this?)"
Togepi imitated me immediately, swaying his entire egg-shaped body from side to side while wiggling his finger. The sight was so ridiculously cute that I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.
"Exactly! Now, try to add a little hop. Once you get the hang of it, you can use the move while dodging an opponent's attack. It makes the defense look like a choreographed dance!" I started bouncing around the small space between the beds, looking like a total clown.
"Pri-pri-pri! (Fun! Fun!)"
Togepi began to bounce in sync with me, his little arms flailing happily. What looked comical when I did it became a masterpiece of cuteness when performed by an actual Togepi.
"Perfect! Now, let's see how that transitions into Attract," I said, catching my breath.
Togepi took a deep breath, spun around in a flurry of white and red, and then let out a tiny, high-pitched chirp while hopping. A shower of tiny pink hearts flickered into existence around him.
On the rug, Growlithe—who had been peacefully napping in a sliver of sunlight—suddenly twitched an ear. His eyes shot open, and for a split second, he stared at Togepi with an expression of pure, dazed admiration. Even Floette, who was busy rubbing her belly after a particularly heavy lunch, stopped her "digestion massage" to glance over with a sparkle in her eyes.
Floette quickly shook her head and looked away with a huff, pretending she hadn't been affected.
"Not bad at all!" I cheered, patting Togepi on the head. "Crossing two evolutionary stages to grab the attention of an Elite Class Floette, even for a second? That's impressive, buddy. Your stage presence is growing!"
Togepi beamed, leaning into my hand. "Pri-pri-pri!"
"Next up: Yawn," I said, looking over at our resident test subject. "Growlithe, you look like you could use a proper nap anyway. Mind being the target?"
Growlithe lifted a heavy eyelid, let out a lazy "Woof~", and rested his chin back on his paws. Fine, if it stops the human from jumping around and shaking the floor, I'll sleep.
"Alright, Togepi! Give him a lullaby!"
Togepi gently touched his lips with a small hand and blew out a single, shimmering bubble. It floated lazily across the room, popping softly right in front of Growlithe's nose. Within seconds, the fire-pup's breathing slowed, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
"The effect is there," I muttered, "but the execution is... plain. It needs more 'spice.' Togepi, what if you did this instead..."
For the next two hours, the room became a laboratory of failed ideas. I kept pushing Togepi to change the way the bubble moved, or how he stood when he blew it. But no matter what we tried, the "theatrical Yawn" just wasn't clicking.
"Togepi-pri... (It's so hard...)" Togepi's lower lip began to tremble. Large, glistening tears pooled in his eyes. For a Pokémon that literally feeds on happiness, the feeling of failure was clearly overwhelming.
"Hey, hey! It's okay!" I immediately scooped him up, tucking him against my chest. "Don't cry, buddy. That was just a random idea I had. We have a whole week! And even if we don't master it, your other moves are already perfect."
"Pri... pri-pri? (Mommy won't be mad?)"
"Of course not!" I patted his head, feeling like a monster for making him work so hard in a cramped hotel room. "It's my fault for overthinking it. Let's do something fun and easy to finish the session. How about Sweet Kiss?"
Togepi sniffled, wiped his eyes with a tiny hand, and nodded. "Pri-pri! (Okay!)"
With his mood rebounding, Togepi leaned forward and puckered his lips. A glowing pink lip-print manifested in the air, vibrating with Fairy-type energy.
The problem was, I was still holding him. And I was facing him directly.
By the time the realization hit my brain, the Sweet Kiss had already traveled the three inches between us.
Pop.
The pink energy burst against my forehead. Instantly, the world didn't just spin—it did a backflip. I saw stars, then I saw three Togepis, then I saw the ceiling suddenly trade places with the floor.
"Whoa... the room is... it's a merry-go-round..." I stammered, my legs turning into jelly. I tried to take a step, but my foot found a pile of books instead. I stumbled, banged my arm against the edge of the desk, and finally collapsed into the laundry basket.
"Ouch..."
"Hiss... watch it, Togepi, that's a tender spot."
I was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, gingerly dabbing some antiseptic on a nasty bruise on my forearm.
"Togepi-pri! (Mommy, it's all my fault! I'm a bad egg!)" Togepi was standing on the sink, wailing loudly, his face buried in his hands.
"Togepi, stop! It's really not that bad," I said, gritting my teeth against the sting. "It was my fault for holding you while you were practicing an aimed move. And honestly, if I'd just been patient and found a proper training ground, this wouldn't have happened. So really, I'm the one who should be apologizing to you."
Togepi looked up, his eyes red and puffy. "Pri... pri? (Really?)"
"Really! Look, I can move it just fine." I rotated my arm to prove a point. Hiss~ That hurts like a Garchomp bite! "See? Perfectly fine. Besides, your Sweet Kiss was so powerful it knocked me out! That's going to be a huge hit with the judges. You've got the cutest 'finishing move' in the business."
I kept talking, desperately trying to pivot the conversation toward his favorite snacks and the glitter we were going to use for his costume.
"Floette? (Are you sure about that?)"
I looked over. Floette was hovering by the door, her arms crossed, looking at me with a skeptical, knowing gaze. She'd seen me trip; she knew I was hurting.
I shot her a fierce "not in front of the kid" look. Then, I reached into my bag and pulled out a small, airtight box.
Clang.
"Oh no!" I said, my voice as flat as a Magikarp. "My super-secret, ultra-sweet, gourmet Pokéblocks have fallen out. These are a DELICACY I spent hours researching. What a tragedy."
(★ᴗ★)
Floette's eyes turned into literal stars. She moved so fast she was a blur, snatching the box off the floor before it could even stop rolling. She zipped over to the windowsill, hugging the box to her chest.
"Flo-flo-ette! (Since they touched the floor, they're clearly contaminated. I shall bravely sacrifice myself to dispose of them so no one else gets sick!)" She popped the lid and buried her face in the sugary treats.
"Pri-pri... (Big Sister is so greedy...)" Togepi sighed, shrugging his fingers in a very "what can you do?" gesture.
"Yeah," I chuckled, finally feeling the confusion of the Sweet Kiss fade away. "But since she's eating, I think that's a sign that training is over for today. Let's get some dinner."
"Woof!" Growlithe, having finally woken up from his Yawn-induced nap, wagged his tail expectantly.
"Eat! Eat!" Togepi cheered.
As I started preparing their bowls, I made a mental note: Tomorrow, we find a park. A very big, very empty park.