“Oi, boss, have ya ever seen that Pokemon before?” The Team Rocket grunt muttered, narrowing his eyes at the unique black-blue canine that was some distance away.

“No, I’ve not,” The leader said, “You know what that means, don’t you?”

 

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, the grunt said, “Oh, it’s a rare find, boss. And that kid over there? Looks like easy pickings. How about we ambush ‘em?”

 

The leader’s eyes twinkled with mischief, “Absolutely. We’ll bide our time and strike when the moment is ripe.”

 

 

———

 

 

Navigating through the bustling maze of people and Pokémon, Noah and his companion Riolu eventually reached their destination—an astonishingly immense building.

 

The Pokemon Center was so colossal that it made the shopping malls from his previous world look like dollhouses.

 

“Incredible,” Noah muttered under his breath, slack-jawed at the building’s monumental proportions.

 

“Alright, Riolu, let’s head on in.” He glanced over at Riolu only to find—nothing.

 

The dark-blue canine had vanished, lost either in the dense crowd or perhaps due to some external interference.

 

“Riolu?” His voice tinged with urgency, Noah called out, scanning his surroundings like a hawk, his face a canvas of mounting anxiety, “RIOLU, THIS ISN’T FUNNY!”

 

 

———

 

 

“Heeeheee- Boss, we got ‘em!” The Team Rocket grunt exulted as they slipped into a dimly lit alleyway, shielded from prying eyes. “What did I tell you? I’m an absolute genius!” The leader puffed out his chest in self-congratulation.

 

“The little bugger was scared shitless! It didn’t even put up a fight! Check out its fur, so silky! Those eyes! We’ll make a fortune off this one!” The grunt boasted, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

“Ah, we’re set for years!” The leader chortled heartily.

 

But the leader’s laughter was cut short when he saw the Pokemon they had abducted glaring defiantly right back at him.

 

“Oi, ya little shit, don’t ya dare look at boss that wa-” The grunt’s words got lodged in his throat.

 

In an instant, a glowing fist collided with his face, reshaping it on impact. A trickle of red blood stained Riolu’s azure paws, lending the creature an air of intimidating menace.

 

Its gaze remained fixated on the leader, who was now on his backside. The man’s eyes widened, “You! Stand back! Ekans, Rattata, Koffing, go!” Shouting frantically, the man released his Pokémon. “Annihilate it!”

 

The three Pokemon pounced on the blue canine, fangs bared and bodies tensed. Just as the attack was about to land, it disappeared, leaving only a faint afterimage. The leader’s Pokemon lunged at the mirage, attacking empty air.

 

“What, where- ” A soft paw gently tapped him on the shoulder. He turned slowly. Cold, relentless eyes locked onto his—a night-black iris set in a sea of blood-red.

 

They were cold, ruthless, unbefitting a cute Pokemon. Despite his rising terror, the man could only let out a pathetic “Please, don’t—” before a radiant fist rocketed up into his chin, ending his life with brutal finality.

 

 

———

 

 

Riolu wiped his paws using the evil man’s shirt, but the blood remained stubborn.“Grrrr” He growled in annoyance, as he rubbed even harder. In a shadowy corner of the alley, three terrified Pokemon shuddered at the sight before them.

 

That was the incarnate of death, they were sure of it. They didn’t dare make a single sound, they watched as Riolu ceased his cleaning efforts.

 

Just then, the devil turned to them; his eyes locked onto them as though a snake eyeing its prey. Slowly, he advanced.

 

Their shrieks of “Hiss!” “Kof!” “Skree!” fell on deaf ears; their fate was sealed in Riolu’s judgment.

 

After adding three more lives to his body count, Riolu rifled through the pockets of the fallen villains, looking for items that might be useful to Noah.

 

Humming a tune he’d picked up from his human companion, Riolu seemed disturbingly cheerful amid the scene of death.

 

 

———

 

 

“Ruff!” Riolu appeared, bursting from the crowd. “Riolu!” Overwhelmed, Noah embraced the Pokemon tightly, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. “Never scare me like that again.”

 

Enthusiastically patting Noah on his back, Riolu wagged his tail but looked somewhat remorseful.

 

Noah took a deep breath, steadying himself. The thought of losing Riolu so soon had been terrifying.

 

To his surprise, Riolu offered up a collection of items: three Pokeballs, a Revive, and five Potions. “Where did you snag these from?” Noah inquired cautiously. “You didn’t steal from someone, did you?”

 

Fiercely shaking his head, “Ruff ruff!” Riolu offered a Pokeball to Noah.

 

“You want me to catch you?” Noah inquired.

“Ruff!” Riolu nodded.

 

How does he know about Pokeballs? I don’t remember seeing anybody use them on our way here, and where did he find these items? Noah thought.

 

Before Noah could process any further, Riolu had already activated the Pokeball. A red beam of light reached out, transforming Riolu into the same shade of light and pulling him into the ball. “Ding!” The ball didn’t even wiggle before confirming the capture.

 

It promptly reopened, releasing Riolu in a blaze of white light, who emerged looking exceedingly proud. Noah chuckled at the spectacle. “Seriously though, where did you get these items?” Holding up the Pokeball, Noah sought answers.

 

The ball opened by itself, a bright white light shone and Riolu burst out of it, his chest puffed. Noah chuckled, amused by the sight.

 

In a series of barks and gestures, Riolu tried to communicate, but to no avail; Noah was just as puzzled as before.

 

“Ah well, let’s just get you checked at the Pokemon Center,” Noah finally said, leading Riolu by the paw into the imposing building.

 

 

 

The inside of the center seemed even larger than how it seemed on the outside. It was incredibly spacious; Flying Pokémon soared freely above, enjoying the open airspace.

 

The room was awash with trainers and Pokemon of all shapes and sizes, creating a patchwork of colors and forms. Pokemon exceeding 2 meters in height or weight, however, were notably absent—evidently disallowed in the building.

 

As he surveyed the room, Noah felt a twinge of apprehension. “Riolu, you aren’t going to get lost again, are you?” Noah asked, concern shading his voice.

 

“Ruff!” Riolu replied, seemingly saying “No way!”

 

Various counters were spread throughout the center, each operated by an ever-smiling Nurse Joy. They chose the counter with the shortest line and patiently waited their turn.

 

Eventually, they reached the front. “Welcome to the Pokemon Center! How may we assist you today?” Nurse Joy greeted them cheerfully.

 

“I’d like to get a check-up for my Pokemon here,” Noah gestured toward Riolu, who was peering curiously over the counter, standing on his tippy-toes.

 

“How adorable! How old is this little one?” Nurse Joy asked, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Riolu.

 

“2 days old, I think,” Noah responded.

 

“TWO DAYS?” Nurse Joy’s eyes widened dramatically, almost comically, as she quickly clapped her hand over her mouth.

 

A ripple of frowns spread across the faces of her colleagues behind adjacent counters. “Oh, my apologies! It’s just difficult to fathom that a Pokemon as young as two days could display such an extraordinary level of sentience.”

 

Regaining her composure, Nurse Joy refocused on the task at hand. “So, what particular health check or service would you like for your Riolu?”

 

“Uh, what are my options? I’ve got 48000 Pokedollars at the moment,” Noah inquired, scratching his head while glancing at Riolu, who was curiously sniffing a potted Oddish on a nearby shelf.

 

“Considering your budget and the age of your Pokemon, I’d recommend purchasing a Pokedex,” Nurse Joy suggested.

 

She reached under the counter and pulled out a sleek, shiny box branded with the a logo that resembled a Pokeball, setting it before Noah.

 

“This device will not only display your Pokemon’s moveset but also record data on any Pokemon you encounter. Plus, it’s a valuable tool for trainers like you.”

 

She leaned in slightly, her voice tinged with enthusiasm, “And here’s a little tip: You can actually sell the data you’ve recorded to various research institutes for additional Pokedollars. It’s a win-win!”

 

“That sounds pretty useful,” Noah mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Anything else?”

 

“Ah, yes,” Nurse Joy continued, “You might also want to consider the Ability Analysis. It’ll give you an in-depth understanding of your Pokémon’s unique ability, which could be a game-changer in battles. Trust me, knowing your Pokémon’s ability can sometimes make the difference between a win and a loss.”

 

“Alright, I’ll go for both,” Noah said, giving a decisive nod.

 

“Excellent choice! Could you please return your Pokemon to its Pokeball and hand it over?” Nurse Joy instructed, sliding the sleek Pokedex box and a small plastic card marked with a number across the counter to him.

 

“Sure, here you go,” Noah complied, aiming the Pokeball at Riolu, who returned to it in a flash of red light.

 

“The Pokedex comes with an instruction manual, and that card is your queue number,” Nurse Joy elaborated. “When your number appears on that giant screen over there,”

 

She pointed to a colossal LED screen that was hard to miss, “you can proceed to the ‘Collect’ counter to retrieve your Pokemon.”

 

Nurse Joy paused for a moment before asking, “Are you a member of the Association?”

 

“No, I’m not,” Noah replied, shifting his gaze slightly, as if dodging the question.

 

“In that case, the total comes to 42000 Pokedollars. You can pay by card or cash,” Nurse Joy indicated a payment terminal beside the counter.

 

“I’ll pay with cash,” Noah declared. He carefully extracted four crisp white bills and two green ones, amounting to exactly 42000 Pokedollars, and handed them over.

 

“Thank you for your patronage. I hope you have a spectacular day!” Nurse Joy said, her eyes twinkling as she waved Noah off, the transaction complete.