The road out of Pallet Town was warm underfoot, sunbeams cutting through the trees as Rael, Delia, and Daisy walked side by side down the trail. The air carried the scent of fresh grass and early summer flowers.
"It's a great thing you came along, Daisy…" Delia said with a playful lilt, glancing over at the blonde beside her. "I feared I wouldn't have anyone to have girl talk with anymore."
"Yeah… yeah…" Daisy mumbled, looking away. Her thoughts were a whirlwind. She didn't even know why she'd agreed to leave with them. Everything had happened so fast. She'd rushed home, told her parents and Grandpa Oak goodbye, and even registered Delia as an official Pokémon Trainer.
Delia just… wanted to be useful to him.
"Shh!" Rael suddenly hissed, halting in his tracks and raising a hand.
Both girls stopped, eyes darting to where he was looking.
High on the branch of a tree sat a bird Pokémon.
"A Pidgey?" Daisy blinked. "Rael, that's just—"
But she stopped herself.
She had to remember… this was Rael's first real step into being a Trainer. His journey was just beginning. Unlike her—she had already battled in the Indigo Plateau Conference. Semi-finalist, even. But to him, even a Pidgey was meaningful.
Except…
Daisy squinted. That was a big Pidgey. Not freakishly mutated, but larger than average. Its feathers gleamed in the sunlight, and its gaze was sharp.
Rael's eyes locked onto it with fierce determination.
"Go, Riolu!"
The Poké Ball burst open in a flash of white light, and Riolu landed on the ground with a low growl. His red fur bristled, eyes narrowing at the Pidgey perched above.
"Rii!"
The Pidgey puffed up, clearly agitated. It had no intention of fighting at first—but the cocky smirk on Riolu's face changed its mind. It spread its wings and launched forward with a sudden flap, whipping up a harsh gust of wind.
"Riolu, dodge it sideways!" Rael commanded.
Riolu leapt to the side, rolling on the ground to avoid the brunt of the Gust.
"Now use Quick Attack to get close!" Rael shouted.
With a sharp cry, Riolu blurred into motion, zigzagging up the trunk of the tree like a flash of red and black.
"Put your feet on the tree," Rael continued, voice calm and focused. "Propel yourself—and Headbutt!"
Riolu obeyed without hesitation, springing off the bark with his full momentum and slamming his head into the incoming Pidgey mid-flight.
Wham!
The bird let out a surprised screech and dropped like a stone, crashing through a bush below. It twitched once… and then went still.
Rael stood still, eyes fixed on the fallen Pokémon, his breath slow and even.
"Is… is it really his first battle?" Daisy whispered, eyes wide. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched him walk over and kneel beside the fainted Pidgey. He pulled out an empty Poké Ball, tapped it to the bird—and with a flash and a click, the capture was successful.
Delia squealed with joy and threw her arms around him from behind. "Look how strong my Rael already is!"
Rael blinked, stiffening for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden embrace. "Delia…"
She just grinned and clung tighter.
He gently pried her arms off, smiling faintly, and then brought out the Poké Ball containing his newly caught Pokémon. "Let's take a look at him."
With a flash of light, the large Pidgey materialized, still looking battered from the battle, but able to stand. Its feathers were ruffled, and it let out a low, wary coo.
Rael knelt beside it and pulled out his Pokédex.
[Pidgey]
[Type: Normal/Flying]
[Gender: Male]
[Nature: Adamant]
[Ability: Keen Eye]
[Stats:
Attack: 13
Defense: 10
Sp. Atk: 8
Sp. Def: 9
Speed: 12]
[Genetics:
Attack: 17/31
Defense: 22/31
Sp. Atk: 17/31
Sp. Def: 11/31
Speed: 29/31]
'This Pidgey is quite good—' Rael was thinking, when suddenly, a familiar notification echoed in his mind.
[Host, the Pokédex data has been completely copied into the Lust System.]
'Eh? What? When did you start doing that?' Rael asked, surprised.
[The process began the moment you obtained the Pokédex.]
[A new function, Pokémon Analysis, has been created. It uses both the Pokédex data and the Arachssion Technology in synergy.]
[Would you like to try it on Pidgey?]
'Yes!' Rael responded without hesitation.
The system displayed a far more detailed panel than before:
[Pidgey]
[Male]
[Type: Normal/Fighting]
[Nature: Adamant]
[Ability: Keen Eye]
[Stats:
Attack: 13
Defense: 10
Sp. Atk: 8
Sp. Def: 9
Speed: 12]
[Genetics:
Attack: 17/31
Defense: 22/31
Sp. Atk: 17/31
Sp. Def: 11/31
Speed: 29/31]
[Moves: Sand Attack, Gust, Tackle]
[Potential: Elite Four]
[Signs of Evolution: Still far.]
'This is… Pokémon Analysis?!' Rael's mind raced. 'It's amazing! Much better than the standard Pokédex!'
'But… what does Potential mean? Like the level of strength it can reach at max, or its talent?'
[Host, it's the talent of a Pokémon. A Pokémon with Elite Four Potential means that it can learn moves as complicated and powerful as those used by Elite Four-level Trainers.]
[It also means that if trained correctly, its growth will be outstanding.]
'Incredible…' Rael looked over at Pidgey, seeing the proud bird in a new light.
He then turned to his red Riolu, eyes gleaming. 'Pokémon Analysis.'
[Riolu]
[Type: Fighting]
[Gender: Male]
[Nature: Adamant]
[Ability: Fighting Spirit]
[Stats:
Attack: 14
Defense: 12
Sp. Atk: 10
Sp. Def: 10
Speed: 12]
[Genetics:
Attack: 31/31
Defense: 31/31
Sp. Atk: 31/31
Sp. Def: 31/31
Speed: 31/31]
[Moves: Endure, Quick Attack, Headbutt, Feint, Bite, Cross Chop]
[Potential: Legendary]
[Signs of Evolution: Still far.]
'Wow… his stats went up after only just one fight?' Rael thought in disbelief.
Rael's heart skipped a beat as he stared at the screen.
"Wait! Legendary Potential?!" he said aloud, eyes wide. "What does this mean?!"
[Host, have you ever heard tales of Pokémon capable of unimaginable feats?]
'Yeah… in myths and stuff like that,' Rael replied in his mind, heart still racing.
[That's the kind of potential your Riolu possesses.]
Rael turned his gaze to the red-furred Riolu, who was dusting himself off and walking back toward him with calm confidence.
He suddenly felt like he was looking at a weapon of mass power hidden in the body of a small Pokémon. Like a dragon disguised as a cub.
'So… winning the Indigo Plateau Conference will be a piece of cake with him, right?'
[Only if the Host trains him properly. Potential is the path—hard work is the key. Without it, even the most powerful talent will rust.]
Rael exhaled slowly, absorbing the weight of those words. The system might call him "Host," but he was starting to feel more like a student than a master.
'System… what's this Fighting Spirit ability? Not even the great professors that made the Pokédex knew Riolu's ability.'
[Fighting Spirit]
[Riolu channels its fighting resolve into every strike. All physical moves gain the power of a Fighting-type boost.]
To be continued...
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How was this chapter?
Also, I think I've made Riolu too OP, but, eh, I don't know.