"It's an egg?" Misty stared at the container in Ash's hands, her eyes wide with disbelief. Pokémon eggs weren't rare in theory, but in practice, no sane trainer would ever choose one as a starter. No one knew what would hatch from it—no type, no temperament, no guarantees. Professors themselves rarely recommended them.
And yet, Ash was smiling.
Not a polite smile. A genuinely happy one.
The egg trembled faintly, rocking once inside its container. Misty's breath hitched without her realizing it. She leaned forward slightly, excitement bubbling up in her chest.
'Crack.' A faint sound echoed through the quiet night. A tiny dent appeared on the egg's smooth surface.
Misty felt a strange thrill surge through her. Even Ash, who already knew what was inside, found his breath caught in his throat. Knowing didn't lessen the moment—not when he was seeing it happen right in front of him.
Yellow blinked, her eyes fixed unblinking on the egg.
Another crack spread across the shell.
Then—a small blue head pushed through.
The shell gave way just enough for a little face to emerge, blinking slowly as if adjusting to the world. Ember-like red eyes glanced around blankly before settling on Ash. Something unseen stirred as it sensed his presence—his aura.
"Rau~" The sound was small, almost fragile.
Then, without warning, the little Pokémon wriggled free, jumping out of the container. The sudden movement knocked the container aside, making it topple onto the grass.
"What kind of Pokémon is this?" Misty asked, stunned.
The little blue biped stood upright, fists clenched loosely, eyes glowing faintly as it took in its unfamiliar surroundings. Everything was new—too new.
"It's Riolu," Ash said quietly. "From the Sinnoh region."
"Rau~"
Riolu looked at him again. And then—it bolted. "Wait—!" Ash's eyes widened. In an instant, memories from his previous life flashed through his mind—Riolu's boundless energy, its instinct-driven movements.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu reacted instantly, yellow lightning darting through the darkness as it took off after the small blue blur. Ash sprinted forward without hesitation.
Behind him, Misty and Yellow snapped out of their daze and followed, completely forgetting about the campsite. The quiet forest erupted into hurried footsteps and rustling leaves as the newborn Pokémon bounded ahead, leaping from rock to root with wild agility—like a tiny ninja gone berserk.
"Rau~!"
Ash skidded to a halt as voices came into range.
Pikachu had stopped. And Riolu—it had stumbled upon something much larger.
A Raticate stood before them, eyes narrowed, fangs bared. The territorial Pokémon clearly hadn't appreciated being disturbed in the middle of the night.
"A Raticate?" Ash thought. 'What's it doing this deep out here?' Misty and Yellow caught up moments later, both breathing slightly hard.
"Hah… he stopped," Misty said.
"So suddenly," Yellow added, worry evident in her tone.
Ash's gaze sharpened. 'He wants to fight.' Riolu stood firm despite its size, staring straight at the Raticate. Pikachu glanced between them, visibly speechless.
"Pikachu," Ash said calmly. "Let him do it." He stepped forward, positioning himself beside Riolu. The Raticate snarled, muscles tensing.
"Rau~!" Riolu roared—not loud, but fierce. Something responded inside it as Ash's presence steadied behind it. His aura flared unconsciously, a subtle surge of energy that Riolu felt instinctively.
'This little one…' Ash's eyes glowed faintly as the system interface appeared before him.
[Status.
Species: Riolu.
Level: 8.
Type: FightingType.
Talent: Inner Instinct.
Attack: C [S+]
Agility: B+ [S+]
Defence: C [A]
Sp. Attack: A [S+]
Sp. Defence: B [A+]
Moves: Quick Attack, Vacuum Wave, Brick Break.]
Ash was momentarily speechless. Moves. Stats. Talent. All of it was absurdly good—especially for a newborn. 'One hell of a fighter,' he thought.
"Little one," Ash said softly, excitement igniting within him. "Let's do it." His spiritedness surged, aura flaring more clearly now. Riolu felt it.
"Gann~!" The Raticate lunged first, teeth flashing under the moonlight. "Riolu, use Quick Attack!" Ash shouted.
The command flowed through aura more than sound. Riolu's body glowed faintly as it vanished in a blur, slamming into Raticate with surprising force. The larger Pokémon staggered back, claws digging into the dirt.
It wasn't just instinct. Riolu had energy—overflowing energy.
The nutritional jelly it had absorbed before hatching fuelled every movement. Starting at Level 8, its body responded perfectly. "Rati—!"
The Raticate shrieked in rage, eyes burning as it regained balance. Ash didn't hesitate. "Use Vacuum Wave!" Distance opened between them. Ash knew Raticate's limits—and this was where Riolu shone.
Vacuum Wave was a long-distance move. The instant before Raticate could sink its teeth in, just as it lunged forward to use Bite, an invisible impact slammed into its body.
There was no warning—only a sharp burst of force that struck its torso head-on. Raticate squealed as it was blasted backward, paws scraping against the dirt before it barely managed to regain footing.
Ash did not hesitate. "Quick Attack, then Brick Break."
White energy condensed tightly around Riolu's small body, wrapping him like a thin, flickering shell. In a blur, Riolu dashed forward, feet barely touching the ground as dust kicked up behind him.
The burst of speed was clean and precise—and then, at the very last second, he stopped.
Raticate's eyes widened.
Riolu twisted his waist, channelling the momentum from Quick Attack into a single strike. His small fist glowed brightly as it shot forward, smashing straight into Raticate's chest. The force carried through completely, lifting the rodent Pokémon off the ground and sending it flying backward.
"Rati—!"
Its body skidded across the dirt before slamming into a rock with a dull thud. Its eyes spun in tight circles as it went limp, completely knocked out.
"Rauu~!"
Riolu raised both fists in the air, letting out a short cheer. As he looked at the fallen Raticate, a strange sense of fulfilment settled in his chest—warm and steady, like something had finally clicked.
Ash exhaled slowly, only now realizing he had been holding his breath.
The three of them continued walking toward their campsite, the forest gradually growing quieter as the tension faded. Leaves rustled softly above them, and the distant chirping of wild Pokémon filled the gaps between their footsteps. A small smile lingered on Ash's face as his thoughts drifted back to the fight.
'That went better than I expected.'
It wasn't just about winning. Riolu had listened, adapted, and executed the plan perfectly. It reassured him—this Pokémon wasn't just strong. It belonged with him.
Without saying a word, Ash stopped and extended a Poké Ball toward Riolu. The little Pokémon glanced up at him, meeting his eyes. There was no hesitation. Riolu lightly tapped the Poké Ball with his fist, red light enveloping him as he returned inside. The ball clicked shut quietly.
Ash stared at it for a moment.
'How should I train it?'
"That was really cool," Misty said, breaking the silence. She glanced at the Poké Ball on Ash's palm. "Congratulations, Ash. That's a rare Pokémon."
She had been curious earlier, but after Ash mentioned the name, she had checked the World Dex herself. Riolu—native to the Sinnoh region. Rare, difficult to encounter, and often compared to pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
A Pokémon that could read aura.
A Pokémon that could understand humans.
"Thanks," Ash replied, rubbing the back of his head with a grin. "I'm pretty thrilled too."
And he really was. That had been Riolu's first real battle, freshly hatched and already fighting a level seventeen Raticate. On paper, the level gap should have mattered—but Riolu's moveset changed everything.
With Raticate's Attack and Special Attack sitting at D-rank, it simply couldn't overpower Riolu. Meanwhile, Riolu's C-rank physical strength paired with A-rank Special Attack gave him a clear edge. Vacuum Wave alone had torn through Raticate's defences.
Raw strength wasn't everything.
After reaching the campsite, Ash released his Pokémon.
"Come out, Riolu, Pidgeotto."
Red light flashed as both Pokémon appeared. Pikachu was already there, tail twitching eagerly as he sniffed around for food. Pidgeotto shook out his feathers and settled nearby, while Riolu blinked, still a little tired but visibly alert.
Ash pulled up the system screen in his vision. With a thought, he navigated through the store and purchased a Steel-type jelly packet—beginner-grade, just like the ones Pikachu and Pidgeotto had started with. He added a Fighting-type jelly as well, placing both directly into his backpack.
The faint rustle of plastic followed as he opened the packet and crouched down, holding it out toward Riolu.
"Rau~"
Riolu's ears perked up instantly. He leaned forward, eyes bright, letting out a happy growl as he sensed the nutrition inside. Without hesitation, he accepted it, clearly liking it.
"Is that a Pokéblock, Ash?" Misty asked, watching with interest.
"Yeah," Ash replied casually, a small grin tugging at his lips. "A good friend of mine made it."
"Oh? Is that so?" Misty said, raising an eyebrow as she watched Riolu eat contentedly.
The camp settled into a calm rhythm—Pokémon eating, the fire crackling softly, and the forest humming quietly around them.
After that, Ash took charge of cooking.
The fire crackled softly as he moved with practised ease, cutting, stirring, and seasoning without hesitation. The faint aroma of cooked vegetables and meat gradually spread through the campsite, carried by the gentle night breeze drifting from the river nearby.
Misty took a bite—and froze for a second.
"This… is actually really good," she said honestly, looking down at the dish in her hands with mild disbelief. She had expected something passable at best, but the balance of flavour surprised her. It was warm, filling, and comforting after a long day.
Ash just smiled, continuing to eat as if this were nothing special.
Yellow, sitting cross-legged near the fire, ate quietly but happily, her eyes curving slightly as she enjoyed the meal. The sound of water flowing nearby mixed with the soft chirps of night Pokémon, creating a calm atmosphere that made the fatigue of the day slowly fade away.
Later that night, they settled near the riverside. The fire had dimmed to glowing embers, and the sky above was clear, dotted with countless stars. Misty and Yellow moved a little distance away to get ready for sleep, their quiet voices blending with the sounds of the forest.
Ash stood up and stretched his arms slightly.
"Come out, Pidgeotto. Riolu."
Two flashes of red light appeared as the Pokémon emerged. Pikachu was already there, standing upright, eyes sharp and full of energy despite the late hour.
"Before going to sleep," Ash said calmly, looking at the three of them, "how about a little warm-up training?" Riolu straightened instantly, fists clenched, clearly ready. Pikachu's ears twitched—this routine was familiar to him by now. Pidgeotto shook his wings, clearly unwilling to be left behind.
Seeing their reactions, Ash nodded.
"Pikachu, focus on Double Kick. Use that tree over there."
"Pika!"
Pikachu dashed forward and began striking the tree rhythmically, each kick controlled and deliberate.
"Riolu," Ash continued, pointing to a medium-sized rock nearby, "Brick Break." Riolu stepped up without hesitation, energy flowing through his arm as he struck the rock cleanly. The impact echoed softly, cracks spreading across its surface.
"And Pidgeotto," Ash said, turning to him, "Aerial Ace with Tailwind. Same as earlier." Pidgeotto let out a sharp cry as wind gathered around his body. He took off, slicing through the air in a clean arc, speed and precision blending together smoothly.
Yellow watched from the side, already used to this sight.
She knew Ash trained his Pokémon regularly, even late at night.
Misty, however, watched quietly, eyes following each movement. 'He really pays attention to everything,' she thought.
Not just battles—but diet, recovery, and move practice. Even after the training ended, Ash walked over to each Pokémon, kneeling down to massage their limbs and muscles carefully. Pikachu relaxed under his hands, Riolu closed his eyes slightly, and Pidgeotto lowered his wings, clearly enjoying it.
Misty didn't know that during that simple massage, Ash was subtly using his Viridian essence—so faint it was almost unnoticeable—to help them recover faster, enhancing the effectiveness of the training they had just completed.
The next morning, Ash woke up early as usual.
The air was cool, carrying the fresh scent of grass and river water. He was already setting up the cooking utensils when he noticed movement from the tents. Yellow stepped out first, stretching her arms above her head as she yawned lightly. Not long after, Misty followed, rubbing her eyes while stretching as well.
"Good morning, girls." Ash greeted them with a smile, spatula already in hand. "Mmm… good morning," Misty replied, still half-asleep. "Morning," Yellow said casually, looking around at the brightening campsite.
Pikachu soon emerged as well, spotting Ash immediately.
With a cheerful chirp, he hopped onto Ash's shoulder, tail flicking as if asking the obvious question. "Yeah, yeah," Ash chuckled. "Breakfast is ready. I'm hungry too." As he served food into Pikachu's bowl, he glanced back at the girls.
"You can call out your Pokémon too. I already cooked for them." Misty hesitated.
"No, I can't ask you for that. Viridian City isn't that far."
"Don't be like that," Ash said with a grin. "I already made extra. And I'll definitely ask you for help later, so just act casual with me."
Yellow laughed softly. "That's just how Ash is, Misty."
"Really, you should take it," Yellow added gently. Misty looked between them, then sighed helplessly before smiling a little. "…Alright. Thanks."
The morning sun rose higher, warming the campsite as Pokémon were called out, bowls were filled, and the day quietly began—steady, unhurried, and full of small moments that made the journey feel real.