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Description
Mijou observed the shells carefully. Each of them was beautiful and shiny and well cut. They were much higher quality than the average seashells. That was such a wonderful place Upaa had found! Maybe he could find a scalchop here. He looked through the sand for a shell that was the correct size and sharpness. Upaa searched too, although he wasn’t sure what he was searching for. He was just imitating what Mijou was doing.

The Oshawott winced as he stepped on something pointy. That’s when he saw it. A superb good-sized shell that was smooth, yet sharp, laid at his feet. Mijou picked it up with a smile. It was smaller and at first glance less impressive than the one he had found earlier, but it seemed more solid and most of all, it shone brightly, reflecting all the colors around it.

“I have a good feeling about that one!” Mijou grinned as he turned to Upaa. “It’s better than the one my brother stole from me! Thank you so much for bringing me here! I have a perfect scalchop now!”

“Upaa upaa upaa!” Upaa sounded genuinely happy for him, and delighted that he was able to help.

The two of them swam back out to the shore of the lake. The sun was already setting and Mijou realized his mother must be worried about him by now. He was about to announce he had to leave when Upaa took off, calling for him. Mijou shrugged and followed. Maybe the Wooper had something else amazing to show him.

Further along the shore were two Quagsire, and a plethora of little Wooper jumping around. They all called with glee as Upaa approached.

“That must be Upaa’s family,” Mijou thought as he approached cautiously. There were many of them and he felt a bit intimidated. He thought having one brother was enough. How did Upaa manage with 12 brothers and sisters?

“Upaa upaa, upaa upaa!” Upaa pointed at him (with his tail) and the Oshawott guessed he was introducing his new friend to them.

“Um, hi. I’m Mijou. ” He waved shyly.

“Quag! Quag!” went the parents.

All the little Wooper gathered in a circle around him. Mijou felt embarrassed at all those tiny eyes staring at him. It was almost as if they had never seen a non-Wooper before. They all appeared friendly and curious though.

“Upaa!”

“Upaa?”

“Upaa upaa!”

“Upaa.”

Mijou mentally rolled his eyes. Did all of them ‘talk’ like Upaa? What were their names? How did they differentiate each other? As far as Mijou was concerned, they were all ‘Upaa’!

All those little voices around him chanting ‘upaa upaa’ were starting to make his head spin! They were all very adorable, but it was time he took his leave now.

“I need to go home now or my mom will be mad.”

Upaa tilted his head, looking disappointed. “Upaa?”

“I’ll see you again, probably. I usually play by the lake. I’ll introduce you to my family next time!”

“Upaa!” The Wooper pepped up and jumped in farewell. Soon, all the other Wooper did the same. “Upaa! Upaa!”

“Quag!” Mom and Dad waved.

“Goodbye!”

Mijou left them and headed back to the forest. Seeing Upaa with his family made him miss his mommy now. Then he remembered his brother Futachi and his expression hardened.

You’ll always be a child who can’t do anything on his own!

Futachi’s voice echoed in his head. Maybe he was right. Maybe he should grow up and not hide behind his mom so much. Even Upaa, who had such a nice family, went off exploring on his own and didn’t look scared at all. If he had not been brave, he probably would not have discovered the seashell place. If Upaa could do it, so could he! He stroked the new shell on his belly. He was strong now that he had this.

Back home, Kenki was relieved to see her son come back safely while Futachi practiced some new sword moves as he usually did. The Dewott discreetly followed their conversation from afar. Was his little brother going to rat out to their mother about how he had stolen his scalchop earlier? He did not.

Mijou was scolded for being late, but happily showed his new scalchop to his mother.

“Oh wow” she exclaimed. “I’ve never seen one so bright and shiny! And it looks sharp too. It’s a perfect fit for you! Train hard with it now.”

Mijou simply smiled and nodded. He didn’t even bother to look back to see his brother’s scornful expression. Humph, wherever he found it, that scalchop was merely half-decent, Futachi thought. Nothing like his. Mijou could keep that one. Whatever.

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Description
Mijou observed the shells carefully. Each of them was beautiful and shiny and well cut. They were much higher quality than the average seashells. That was such a wonderful place Upaa had found! Maybe he could find a scalchop here. He looked through the sand for a shell that was the correct size and sharpness. Upaa searched too, although he wasn’t sure what he was searching for. He was just imitating what Mijou was doing.

The Oshawott winced as he stepped on something pointy. That’s when he saw it. A superb good-sized shell that was smooth, yet sharp, laid at his feet. Mijou picked it up with a smile. It was smaller and at first glance less impressive than the one he had found earlier, but it seemed more solid and most of all, it shone brightly, reflecting all the colors around it.

“I have a good feeling about that one!” Mijou grinned as he turned to Upaa. “It’s better than the one my brother stole from me! Thank you so much for bringing me here! I have a perfect scalchop now!”

“Upaa upaa upaa!” Upaa sounded genuinely happy for him, and delighted that he was able to help.

The two of them swam back out to the shore of the lake. The sun was already setting and Mijou realized his mother must be worried about him by now. He was about to announce he had to leave when Upaa took off, calling for him. Mijou shrugged and followed. Maybe the Wooper had something else amazing to show him.

Further along the shore were two Quagsire, and a plethora of little Wooper jumping around. They all called with glee as Upaa approached.

“That must be Upaa’s family,” Mijou thought as he approached cautiously. There were many of them and he felt a bit intimidated. He thought having one brother was enough. How did Upaa manage with 12 brothers and sisters?

“Upaa upaa, upaa upaa!” Upaa pointed at him (with his tail) and the Oshawott guessed he was introducing his new friend to them.

“Um, hi. I’m Mijou. ” He waved shyly.

“Quag! Quag!” went the parents.

All the little Wooper gathered in a circle around him. Mijou felt embarrassed at all those tiny eyes staring at him. It was almost as if they had never seen a non-Wooper before. They all appeared friendly and curious though.

“Upaa!”

“Upaa?”

“Upaa upaa!”

“Upaa.”

Mijou mentally rolled his eyes. Did all of them ‘talk’ like Upaa? What were their names? How did they differentiate each other? As far as Mijou was concerned, they were all ‘Upaa’!

All those little voices around him chanting ‘upaa upaa’ were starting to make his head spin! They were all very adorable, but it was time he took his leave now.

“I need to go home now or my mom will be mad.”

Upaa tilted his head, looking disappointed. “Upaa?”

“I’ll see you again, probably. I usually play by the lake. I’ll introduce you to my family next time!”

“Upaa!” The Wooper pepped up and jumped in farewell. Soon, all the other Wooper did the same. “Upaa! Upaa!”

“Quag!” Mom and Dad waved.

“Goodbye!”

Mijou left them and headed back to the forest. Seeing Upaa with his family made him miss his mommy now. Then he remembered his brother Futachi and his expression hardened.

You’ll always be a child who can’t do anything on his own!

Futachi’s voice echoed in his head. Maybe he was right. Maybe he should grow up and not hide behind his mom so much. Even Upaa, who had such a nice family, went off exploring on his own and didn’t look scared at all. If he had not been brave, he probably would not have discovered the seashell place. If Upaa could do it, so could he! He stroked the new shell on his belly. He was strong now that he had this.

Back home, Kenki was relieved to see her son come back safely while Futachi practiced some new sword moves as he usually did. The Dewott discreetly followed their conversation from afar. Was his little brother going to rat out to their mother about how he had stolen his scalchop earlier? He did not.

Mijou was scolded for being late, but happily showed his new scalchop to his mother.

“Oh wow” she exclaimed. “I’ve never seen one so bright and shiny! And it looks sharp too. It’s a perfect fit for you! Train hard with it now.”

Mijou simply smiled and nodded. He didn’t even bother to look back to see his brother’s scornful expression. Humph, wherever he found it, that scalchop was merely half-decent, Futachi thought. Nothing like his. Mijou could keep that one. Whatever.

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