Chapter Text
It was a peaceful day in the meadow that morning. Golden sunbeams shone down and reflected in the dewdrops on the grass. In the middle of the field, a young Kirlia sat in an arrangement of newly blossomed wildflowers, deep in her morning meditation, faint ripples of psychic energy shimmering in the air around her.
Kirlia had always been a little different from the rest of her family. While others trained to sharpen their telekinetic abilities, she found herself drawn to something else. Dance.
Each morning, she would practice twirls and leaps in the sunlight- it was how she expressed herself. Her dancing was her voice, the world her stage.
But that morning, her dance was interrupted.
WHAM!
A loud thud echoed through the woodland trees that bordered the meadow, followed by a groan of frustration. Kirlia halted in the middle of a spin, listening intently. She could sense somebody nearby- annoyed, determined, and…embarrassed?
Kirlia rarely entered the woods, but her curiosity was piqued. Cautiously, she stepped towards the disturbance.
She soon reached a clearing in the thicket where she felt the mysterious presence and she peeked from behind a tree. At the center of the clearing, a Hitmontop was spinning on its head at incredible speed. It wasn't just any ordinary spinning attack either- it was art in motion.
Kirlia found herself mesmerized as she watched the incredible display, watching silently.
And then their eyes met.
At that same instant, Hitmontop stumbled, falling to his knees.
"Ow…"
Kirlia giggled in spite of herself.
Hitmontop pushed himself up, cheeks flushed.
"Oh!" Kirlia gasped, blushing a little herself in embarrassment. "I…I didn't mean to spy. I just heard the…music."
"Music?" Hitmontop asked, catching his breath. "You heard music?"
Kirlia paused in her retreat, surprised by his gentle tone. Most Fighting-type Pokémon were rowdy or even aggressive, but this one spoke with genuine interest.
She nodded shyly. "In the way you moved. The flow- it was like a dance."
The words hung in the air between them, and for a moment Kirlia worried she might have said something wrong.
The Handstand Pokémon's expression brightened. "I don't think anyone ever described my technique quite like that before. Dancing. I never thought about it that way." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, it's called capoeira. The fighting style, I mean. But my old training group used to tease me for it being too…" He paused. "Fancy."
"I've never seen anything like it," Kirlia admired.
He looked away, bashful, for a moment, and then turned back, extending his hand. "I'm Hitmontop."
Kirlia reached out and shook it. "I'm Kirlia." She hesitated, heart aching for him. She understood all too well what it was like to be a bit different. "Would you…would you mind if I watched you practice again? I promise I won't be a distraction."
Hitmontop stared at her. "You want to watch?"
She nodded.
"...Okay," he said at last. "Just…don't laugh again."
"Promise!"
Sitting nearby, Kirlia watched with awe as Hitmontop launched into another set of spins. After he finished, Kirlia clapped, beaming. "Amazing!"
"Aw, you're just being nice." Hitmontop rubbed the back of his neck.
"No, really! I mean it! But…may I make a suggestion?"
"You dance?" Hitmontop arched a brow.
"I live to dance."
Hitmontop stepped back, giving Kirlia the floor. "Alright. Show me what ya got."
Kirlia stepped forward and took a deep breath. Then she began her ballet- slow, graceful pliés, an Arabesque, and pirouettes filled with emotion. Hitmontop watched in quiet awe.
"I've never, ever seen dancing like that," he said as she finished with a curtsy.
Kirlia smiled. "It's called ballet," she said. "I just dance how I feel."
He whistled. "Very different from how I train."
There was a beat. Then Kirlia spoke. "Then maybe we should try it together. You could teach me power and control- and could help you learn poise and grace."
"You want to team up?" Hitmontop's eyes went wide with surprise.
"Why not? It'll be fun."
He took a moment to reply as thought about it. "Alright," he said, nodding. "Let's try it."
—
They began to meet up every morning, same time, same place. At first, they struggled to find a way to combine their different styles together. Hitmontop's speed and strength made Kirlia stumble. And her fluid grace left him tangling himself in knots. But as time passed, they began to find a rhythm.
With Kirlia's help, Hitmontop learned to channel his emotions through movement. Frustration turned into sharp kicks, calm turned into flowing spins. Kirlia grew bolder, jumping higher and learning balance.
They laughed. A lot.
Hitmontop told Kirlia about his life growing up at a dojo with his elder brothers, a place where strength was everything.
"Anything else is just weakness," he finished, looking pensive as they sat in the shade of an old tree. "Or a waste of time. They all look down on me."
"I know how that feels." Kirlia confided sullenly, twirling a flower with her mind. "My family wants me to evolve, to become a Gardevoir. They want me to get stronger…but I think strength comes in many forms. Part of it is just being true to yourself."
Hitmontop grinned. "I always kinda thought the same way."
Their bond deepened, whether it was shared in practice together or just enjoying the others' company. Hitmontop worked on smoother forms. Kirlia honed her strength.
Then one day, something happened.
It was a warm morning in early spring, and the two were in the middle of training together. Kirlia whirled through the air, her psychic aura emanating around her. Hitmontop spun through his routine, legs kicking the air with finesse. And then without planning it, their movements began to align. As she twirled clockwise, he mirrored her counterclockwise. As she rose into the air in a flourishing leap, he swept low. And their energies- Psychic and Fighting- resonated.
They moved as one, a dance of harmony.
Then suddenly, they collided. With a soft cry, Kirlia fell out of her pirouette.
"Kirlia!"
Hitmontop agilely lunged under her and caught her safely in his arms.
For a moment, neither one of them moved.
Their faces were close, breaths mingling in the quiet. Kirlia looked up at Hitmontop, a blush warming her cheeks.
Hitmontop's heart did a somersault. "Uh…you okay?"
"Mm-hmm," she whispered. "...Thanks for catching me."
They lingered, neither quite willing to move. Then Kirlia finally stepped back, smiling shyly.
"We're getting better," she said.
"Yeah. We make a good team."
Her eyes sparkled. "Maybe even more than that…"
Before he could ask what she meant, however, she spun away, humming softly.