Opal & Topaz

S1 ep 7: Froakie, I choose you!

"Hell yeah! Did you see that?!" Deimos looked back at him as if they liked each other. He didn't get him. One minute he was mumbling to himself about proving him wrong, the next, beaming at Hank while presenting a pokeball with a newly caught Pokémon. He sent it out, catching it in his hands as it materialised out of the ball. It came out facing Deimos, tilting its head as it came to meet its new owner.

"I think I'll call him... Jet!" Deimos turned the Trapinch around to show Hank. It opened its jaw like it was smiling, but he wouldn't be surprised if it just wanted to bite him.

The only one who seemed actually interested was Froakie. Unlike Deimos, he wasn't so good with names. He'd been workshopping one for Froakie for the past two days, and still nothing. They climbed a little higher on his shoulder, croaking quietly as it looked at Jet with curiosity. With a single leap, they landed on Deimos's arm, before climbing on the Trapinch's back to inspect closer.

Out the corner of his eye, he could see Sparks glaring at Froakie with unbridled jealousy. To them, it was bad enough that they had to compete for his attention with another Pokémon, let alone the fact that he needed to give Froakie more attention to train them.

"Come meet our new friend, buddy!" Deimos crouched down, presenting Jet to Flint, who leaned forward to sniff them. Turns out, he was right. They weren't smiling, just looking to bite something, that thing being Flint's nose. He watched, mildly amused as Deimos began struggling to seperate them.

The whole kerfuffle scared off Froakie, who climbed from Hank's leg back up to his shoulder. He gently scratched under its chin, as they watched the commotion together.

"What should I call you?" Hank talked quietly, turning his head to look at Froakie a little better. They just stared blankly at him and croaked.

Fair enough. He could see Sparks seething, so he gestured for him to come over, figuring it was about time he gave him a little attention. The second his fingers brushed against their fur, Sparks started purring, nuzzling into his leg. Usually they weren't this affectionate. They must really be desperate for attention.

He sighed, crouching down to meet Sparks at eye-level.

"This job requires me to pay attention to other Pokémon. You know that." He tried to be firm, but Sparks just looked away, clearly annoyed.

"You'll have more attention back once Froakie helps me prove him wrong. You know he isn't exactly made for fighting." Once he realised what he said, he looked at Froakie. "No offence."

He didn't think any was taken. The Froakie just stared at him with those strangely glassy eyes. He wondered if there was anything even going on in their head.

"Don't worry. You'll be front and centre again soon." He ran his fingers through Sparks's mane, giving him his full attention while waiting for Deimos to get his shit together.

Finally, Deimos realised he could put Jet back in the ball, and did just that. Flint put his hands over his nose once Jet was gone, looking at Deimos with bared teeth as Deimos looked right back at Flint with an apologetic gaze. Sparks seemed to have forgotten about being jealous for a while, and watched the whole fiasco with him, purring quietly as Hank pet him.

"Okay, let's go!" Deimos pointed ahead as he started walking again like a dumbass. Hank got up, signalling for Sparks to follow him while they walked.

He continued idly playing with the top of Sparks's head with his fingertips as Deimos slowed to walk by his side.

"So, got a name for him yet?" He looked oddly smug as he glanced to Froakie.

Hank just shook his head, not in much of a mood to talk to him. He seemed completely oblivious to this fact and kept talking. "I got think on some more for you; How do Mito or... Ooh! Poko sound?"