The dizzy blue-furred pup was stuffed with a mouthful of jelly. After gulping it down, its once-bleary eyes snapped wide open.

Ugh, so bitter!

It sat up bolt upright, feeling a surge of power coursing through its body. As it turned its head, it saw Hikaru and a group of Pokémon all staring at it.

“Within three minutes, a fainted Pokémon’s health, stamina, and all five physical stats are fully restored. After all, this thing contains a whole bunch of revitalizing ingredients and life-energy materials.”

“In a near-death state, a Pokémon’s body will absorb all these nutrients and life energy more completely, more efficiently.”

“You’re feeling pretty good now, aren’t you?”

“Wangoo.” Riolu stood up, patting its sides and jumping in place, shaking its ears excitedly with curious little sounds.

It had never felt this good before!

Honestly, it hadn’t been this full of energy since it was born!

Wait… how long had it even been unconscious?

What kind of medicine could’ve completely healed it like this? Riolu still couldn’t quite believe it and kept patting itself in amazement.

Then it looked around at the other Pokémon nearby.

Right—these were the ones it had seen back at Central Park. The Pokémon that had once been lured in by Team Plasma.

Team Plasma…

Riolu’s thoughts wandered. Then its gaze refocused. Something felt off.

Oh!

It hadn’t been captured in a Poké Ball!

With that realization, Riolu raised its paw and pointed at Hikaru, then back at itself.

Wait—why didn’t you catch me?

Was it because I wasn’t strong enough?

Riolu pursed its lips.

It had even managed to copy Sacred Sword! Surely that was impressive enough! Don’t human trainers usually get the urge to catch powerful Pokémon?

Hikaru, sitting cross-legged on the ground, met Riolu’s gaze. The blue pup’s eyes burned with a longing for strength. That fury hiding beneath… Aegislash had already mentioned it.

They stared at each other in silence for a while.

“…You’re a little impatient, huh? Just like I sensed before—are you looking for a new trainer?”

“You want to come with me?”

“Wangoo.” Riolu nodded.

That’s exactly why it had come!

“You have someone you want to defeat?”

Riolu nodded again. “Awoo!”

Yes.

There was someone it absolutely had to defeat!

“What about your original trainer? Don’t you want to go back to him? That elite trainer… he mentioned something about nightmares.”

Riolu’s brows furrowed. Its ears drooped. After a moment of silence, it let out a low growl in explanation.

All right, then I’ll tell you simply—

It had been captured from the Training Cavern.

Elite trainers often went there to hone themselves. After gathering enough battle experience, they would head toward Victory Road.

Back then, its former trainer had failed repeatedly in the Unova League and was desperate for a strong partner. That’s when he caught Riolu.

At the time, his Aura was pure. He just wanted to win—just wanted to climb higher and fight.

But… he failed again.

On his fifth defeat, he lost faith in his Pokémon.

His training grew more and more intense. But to prove that their efforts weren’t in vain, none of the Pokémon complained.

They all kept training hard.

Then those weirdly dressed people showed up—especially that green-haired guy.

They didn’t use violence, just… words.

But Riolu could feel it—that unpleasant, extreme Aura.

“Awoo!”

Riolu’s expression turned serious, and for the first time, the fury truly showed on its face.

It hated that green-haired man.

Its trainer abandoned his dreams. The old companions all went their separate ways. Riolu had tried to bring them back—but failed.

And with that, the ideals they once held disappeared. That trainer once said he’d conquer the Unova League and become Champion.

Still, Riolu knew who really caused him to change—so it didn’t resent him.

The ones to blame were those weirdos in the strange clothes!

“So that’s why he said seeing you was like seeing a nightmare. You were the one he caught in the Training Cavern during his desperation… you represent his lost dream.”

“You fought that green-haired guy before, right?”

Hikaru asked plainly, exposing the identity behind Riolu’s vague references.

Riolu froze, then nodded… then shook its head.

“Ah. So you fought him—but lost.”

Riolu: “Awoo! Awoo, wang! (There were too many of his Pokémon. One of them was especially strong!)”

After repeated failures, Riolu had wanted to leave.

But part of it still worried about that former trainer.

That guy… he seemed happy with Team Plasma now.

Riolu couldn’t tell if he had truly changed or just gone mad.

Pain, sorrow, anger—though they hadn’t been together long, the pure-hearted trainer from before… was gone.

Riolu had almost lost all hope—but then it saw Hikaru and Aegislash in action.

It felt their powerful Aura.

And it saw that green-haired guy again.

So it made a decision.

It couldn’t just walk away!

Not just for the sake of its former trainer, but also for its scattered teammates… and for its own pride as a Pokémon who had failed again and again!

To be defeated by someone like that? No way!

It had to find a stronger trainer. And then—pay them back!

The things you threw away… I’ll prove they still have value!

Hearing Riolu’s inner thoughts, the little blue pup radiated fighting spirit—it had clearly lost in a way it couldn’t accept.

“Wangoo!”

It had heard there was a place called White Forest in this world—perfect for Pokémon to train.

That was originally where it wanted to go.

Now Hikaru understood.

A Pokémon caught in the Training Cavern, destined in the normal timeline to be part of the trainers in the White Treehollow!

In White Treehollow, one of the trainer’s Pokémon is a Riolu!

And of course, going one-on-many against Teacher N? No chance.

N’s Pokémon were all in perfect sync with his heart. He could guide them with precision, unleashing the most effective moves at the perfect moment.

Even fighting one of them was tough—fighting a whole team? Impossible.

Especially when the trainer himself had already given up.

Hmph. To get N-sensei to wake up for real… would take a real Unova hero like Hilbert or Hilda.

If we follow the game storyline, N kept losing after encountering the protagonist. Even after summoning the Legendary Dragon, he still got wrecked—and that finally woke him up.

Indeed—ideological critique couldn’t replace the critique of force.

Still, words could weaken a person’s resolve.

And the arrival of the hero was drawing near.

Once Team Galactic was crushed in Sinnoh, the heroes of this world would begin their journey too.

Of course, the Tree of Connection, which represents Unova’s will, probably wanted Hikaru to start beating up Team Plasma right now.

So how about setting up a meeting with Teacher N at the Ferris wheel… then hitting him with a few Psychic Blasts while he’s distracted?

Might turn him into a reverse brainwashed nutjob, but hey—tie him up and blast him a few more times?

Too bad Team Plasma was still recruiting publicly. They were technically a legal organization. If Hikaru kicked down their front door, they could just report him to the cops.

What then? Talk about flipping the script.

Honestly, Ghetsis really seemed like the type to call the cops too.

“I will end up clashing with Team Plasma later. Looks like we’re aligned in our goals!”

Let’s do it—Riolu, give N a solid aura punch to wake him up!

“Although I’m not really a trainer who specializes in battle…” Hikaru said, trailing off. Riolu narrowed its eyes skeptically.

The little blue pup didn’t buy that at all.

Maybe Hikaru wasn’t into battling…

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t strong.

C’mon, don’t say things like “I’m not really…”

I overheard your entire convo with that green-haired guy—that’s what brought me here!

Our Auras and thoughts align perfectly!

That’s why I came to show you my strength!

If you think I’m good enough… Riolu placed a paw over its chest, eyes full of tension, clearly awaiting Hikaru’s answer.

“…Alright then! Since you chose me as your partner—even if you have an ulterior motive—”

“I actually admire that.”

Hikaru thought the blue pup had a strong personality!

“Trying to correct your trainer’s mistaken beliefs—even though it didn’t work, you didn’t give up. You followed him, saw his final decisions, and made your own. You’re a Pokémon with a clear will—you know what you want and are willing to go for it.”

At this point, it was basically a personal grudge.

There are stories in the Pokémon Special manga where Pokémon fought Team Plasma out of their own volition.

And sometimes, when a Pokémon loses to another, they bear a grudge and vow to settle it later.

It’s happened in the anime too.

Like when Brock’s Croagunk lost to Saturn’s Toxicroak. After training hard, it finally got its revenge with one KO!

“So, tell me—what did the Pokémon that beat you look like?”

“I mean the one that left the deepest impression—the one you want to defeat most.”

Riolu flailed its little paws: “Awoo! (Black and blue dragon!)”

Ah… N’s…

Wait, huh?

Hikaru blinked rapidly.

“Black and blue dragon? Three heads?”

Wait a minute—which green-haired guy was this?!

So it was Ghetsis, huh?!

Ghetsis showing up near Victory Road… actually, that tracked.

Team Plasma’s castle was rumored to be under construction near the Unova League. If I report them now, maybe the cops would halt their project?

Mmm… nah, that’d just kickstart a full-on war.

Riolu also froze in confusion.

What? You thought I meant that roadside green-haired guy?

Well, he didn’t feel right either. Aura said it all—his words were wrong. That’s why Riolu came back to find you!

Riolu showed its resolve with action.

Even if you didn’t convince that human—

You convinced me!

“I see. Then, you are now my…”

Hikaru realized: if Riolu entered the ball, it’d become his sixth Pokémon!

Once he brought Walking Wake and the others back from the Interlink Forest, the team would be complete!

But Hikaru wasn’t a standard battling trainer. He didn’t use PC storage or Battle Boxes, so the six-ball limit didn’t apply.

Plenty of people carried seven or eight—like Alder, who had Poké Balls hanging from belt and back.

Blue, too, often carried seven. After using up six, he’d toss out a seventh, making his opponents scream “cheater” and collapse.

“I’m honored you chose me.”

Hikaru pulled out a Poké Ball. After a moment’s thought, he swapped it for a Great Ball—the blue matched Riolu’s fur better.

“I’ll help your former trainer wake up. If you want to forge a new bond with me, and if we share the same goal, then… let’s work together.”

『Riolu, a Pokémon from the Training Cavern.』

『A bit mischievous.』

『Encountered at the back-alley lot in Mistralton City.』

『Dislikes bitter flavors.』

『Takes pride in its strength and hates to lose.』

Hikaru had already drafted Riolu’s Trainer Notes in his mind.

The little blue pup didn’t hesitate. It pressed the button on the Great Ball with its paw.

A flash of red light, a few shakes—and click! Then a burst of white light.

Riolu stood right back in its original spot.

Capture complete. Voluntary exit!

“Wangoo! (Let’s do our best together!)”

Riolu perked up, full of anticipation for future revenge battles. It reached out a paw to formally shake—

Only to be scooped up into Hikaru’s arms.

Eh? What’s happening?

Riolu blinked in confusion.

“Um… can I rub your head?”

Riolu thought for a second.

Well… if it helps build a good relationship with a new partner… and if it makes them happy… humans seem to like doing this to furry Pokémon like me.

It shut its eyes.

Fine—go ahead and rub me a little.

But just a little! We’re not that close yet!

If you beat that green-haired human—then rub all you want.

Even twice.

Hikaru’s wish came true. Most of the Pokémon at home weren’t fuzzy at all—the only one was that hot-tempered Larvesta, and it wasn’t always safe to touch.

Riolu’s fluff felt amazing.

Though it still carried a faint trash-can odor… guess it needed a bath first.

As Hikaru’s palm made contact with Riolu’s fur, their Aura and Hikaru’s psychic abilities began to intertwine.

Whoa! Riolu’s eyes glowed blue. Through reading Hikaru’s Aura, it caught glimpses of distant memories—

A radiant white Pokémon.

A dragon cloaked in shadows.

Three humans standing before a sacred stage.

A mighty sword that once battled gods.

Ancient legends of giants and paradise.

Blurry visions in dreams… a big-headed king… and sacred swordsmen.

Its will strengthened. Its spirit surged. Confusion faded. Courage bloomed.

“Awoo? (Just who are you?)”

Riolu looked up in awe.

It suddenly realized—

This human it had chosen… might not be ordinary.

Did I just pull a top-tier human?

A companion of Pokémon royalty… one who stood tall even before god-like beings…

“Just a person who exists in this world. Someone with a bit of special power.”

“And because of that, many powerful beings seek me out. They believe I can help them—and that’s a kind of recognition from the world itself. Even from that ancient, unknown tree in Unova’s heart.”

“You showed me your strength—now I’ll show you who I am.”

Riolu stared at Hikaru for a long moment, then exhaled deeply.

Yes!

So that’s what this is!

You’re kind of mysterious, huh… makes me even more curious!

This is gonna be fun!

Riolu blinked, ears flopping up and down, tail wagging.

Its mood had clearly brightened.

Seemed like it made the right choice.

And perhaps—its future might just be very interesting.

…Alright, you can rub my head a bit more.

(End of Chapter)

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep