Levi stepped outside and found the whole street had become a lake of puddles, each one winking like a mirror under the grey sky. He tilted his head, watching his own reflection dance on the water. Then a yellow blur zipped past his ankles and stopped at his feet.
A small creature with a lightning-bolt tail and pointed ears sat at his shoes, crackling softly. Levi crouched down and grinned. 'I'm Ash!' it said. 'This is Pikachu! Want to go puddle-jumping?'
Levi stomped his first splash, water squelching through his shoes. Pikachu leaped first, arms wide, landing with a mighty SSSPLAT that sent droplets flying everywhere. Ash followed, arms windmilling, and Levi chased them both.
Each jump grew higher, each puddle felt bigger, until even the tiny ones felt like oceans. Levi laughed so hard his sides ached. Ash tumbled into a puddle and popped back up, shaking water from his pointed ears.
Pikachu charged toward the biggest puddle at the end of the street — the one that shimmered with rainbow oil and looked deep enough to swallow a sneaker whole. He launched himself into the air with a yelp of pure electricity.
He landed with a BOOM that shook the sidewalk. Ash and Levi stared at the enormous splash zone, then at each other, shoes already soaked to the toes. Levi's heart beat faster. That puddle looked… impossible.
Levi stood at the edge, toes curling inside his squelchy sneakers. 'You got this, Levi!' Ash called. Pikachu crackled encouragement, sparks dancing along his tail. Levi took three running steps and jumped with everything he had.
Levi landed with a mighty SPLASH that sent water arcing over the sidewalk, over the fence, over Ash and Pikachu, who stood there dripping and laughing. 'Again!' Ash yelled. Levi's shoes squelched with every step, his socks were soaked, and he had never been happier.