Rillaboom was one of Galar's regional starters, renowned as a key Pokémon of Champion Leon.
Among all the starter Pokémon, Rillaboom undoubtedly ranked top-tier. In terms of sheer strength, only the [Mega-Evolved] starters could surpass it. Its prowess shone clearly in both singles and doubles battles.
Indeed, it was the strongest Grass-type starter—[Mega Evolution] included.
From Satoshi's research, Rillaboom's rarity had surged significantly thanks to Leon. After all, a Pokémon associated with arguably the strongest trainer in the world naturally attracted countless enthusiasts eager to catch one.
But compared to Rillaboom, Leon's Charizard was even more insanely popular.
Although unsure how Sakiko had obtained this information, Satoshi trusted her implicitly. He vaguely understood that working in customer service meant gaining access to a wide variety of insider news.
[Satoshi]:I got it. Then I'll trust you on this. See you tomorrow.
After ending the chat, Satoshi set his phone aside, cradling his two Pokémon as he drifted off to sleep.
"Kero~" "Rai~" The Pokémon murmured softly in their sleep, comfortably oblivious to the world around them.
---
On the other side, Sakiko struggled to push away Milotic, whose cool body prevented her from easily falling asleep.
Meeting tomorrow... Is it a date? Wait, what am I even thinking? Satoshi wouldn't think that way.
Sakiko sighed, her expression weary as she picked up her phone again.
She never imagined she'd fall into such romantic feelings; her current situation hardly allowed it.
Satoshi... Has he forgotten me? Probably, since we haven't met in so long.
She gently swiped through her phone's gallery, fingertips lightly brushing past nostalgic memories until her eyes lingered on a softly glowing photo.
In the picture was a shy young girl with bright eyes, timidly approaching a Feebas.
Beside her stood a boy wearing a cap, his gaze filled with warmth and gentle encouragement, silently cheering her on.
At this point, he must've long forgotten our childhood together.
---
At school, Satoshi promptly slumped onto his desk as usual, eyes closed.
Practical Pokémon classes? Great!
Theory classes? Terrible.
He'd skimmed through textbooks and understood the broad concepts, but nothing truly captivated him. The most intriguing thing they taught was probably how to distinguish Dragon-types from other Pokémon.
Satoshi already knew better:
Dragon-type Pokémon in this world hardly looked like dragons.
Take the famous Alolan Exeggutor—more like an office-building steel dragon—or Applin, or even Galar's bizarre fossil Pokémon hybrids... Too many oddities to count.
Even when discussing Pokémon abilities, this world had countless undiscovered ones.
Simply put—nothing beats a Pokédex!
"f only I had a Pokédex, Satoshi mused internally.
[If it's about a Pokédex, Sato-dear, leave it to me~ You can rely on me for this job from now on. Feel free to toy with me. (＾▽＾●)]
Don't go overboard... but thanks. Having a Pokédex would really make things easier—especially checking moves. Now, forming a team… at least six members, if we want to win the Afro Buffalo Cup…
Lost in thought, Satoshi considered his options.
Yesterday's luck in finding two teammates was great, but he genuinely wanted Takamatsu Tomori on the team.
He didn't want to lose a friend who shared a lifelong passion for Pokémon battles.
More importantly, the sorrowful expressions of Tomori and her Piplup haunted him deeply.
Just as he pondered, Satoshi felt someone lightly poking his side. Looking up, he saw Tomori, face flushed as she nervously bit her lower lip, summoning her courage.
"...Satoshi, can you practice with me today?"
"Piplup~"
A girl and her Pokémon stared at him intently, placing Satoshi under immense pressure.
"No problem! Let's pair up during today's practical class!"
Satoshi accepted naturally, pleased with the timing—he had planned to approach Tomori anyway, but here she was, initiating first.
There wasn't really tension between them, just Anon's earlier hesitation, which had made Tomori hesitant to join the band.
Yet this very challenge ignited Satoshi's fighting spirit. If she didn't feel ready to join, he would bridge the gap through Pokémon battles, mending her wounded heart.
No trauma couldn't be solved by Pokémon battles—and if one arose, they'd simply battle again!
That was Satoshi's straightforward logic.
...
On the battlefield during class…
"Piplup, do you think I can beat Satoshi?"
"Pip~ Pip-piplup?" (Do you think I can beat Froakie?)
Tomori and her Piplup exchanged insecure glances, their adorable eyes brimming with doubt.
After her embarrassing escape the other day, Tomori wanted to formally apologize to Satoshi but struggled with words. Ultimately, she decided on a traditional Pokémon battle—planning to lose first, then offer thanks and apologies through training afterward.
Tomori had previously belonged to a junior high team named CRYCHIC, remarkably strong for their age.
Although their time together was short, their bonds were warm, even securing a decisive victory in a team competition.
Yet that victory had come at a cost: Tomori and Piplup had pushed themselves to extremes, causing heavy burdens for her Pokémon.
Netizens commented: "That trainer and her Piplup are way too desperate."
Comments like these had scarred Tomori, making her fear Pokémon battles.
Not long after that competition, Sakiko, a crucial teammate, stopped attending practices. Their final meeting ended with Sakiko decisively leaving CRYCHIC.
"Without Sakiko…"
Sakiko had retorted coldly, "Don't say such selfish things. You and Piplup, you're the ones needing more practice. But what have you been doing all this time?"
With those harsh words, CRYCHIC fell apart, prompting Tomori's yearning for a friend who would battle Pokémon with her forever.
So when Satoshi had immediately agreed to her request days ago, her heart had filled with joy, unwilling to miss this chance.
"If I use 'Haruhikage,' maybe people won't criticize me anymore, nor would Sakiko…"
"If only I weren't weak, maybe our team wouldn't have disbanded…"
Such reflections still filled Tomori with anxiety.
But things were different now—another chance to form a new team, another chance for a friend to battle Pokémon for life.
"Tomori, I'm ready over here!"
Satoshi's confident wave and charismatic grin caused Tomori's cheeks to flush slightly.
Anon, who had misspoken earlier, observed quietly, feeling guilty and determined to support Tomori from the sidelines.
On the battlefield, Froakie sweated nervously, adjusting its power carefully.
Satoshi: "Go easy, Froakie. Let's have a good match against Piplup."
Feeling pressured, Froakie could only promise to hold back.
Gazing at Satoshi across from her, Tomori's resolve deepened.
She cherished these bonds dearly. By proving her strength, she could secure a lifetime of Pokémon battles by Satoshi's side.
"Piplup... I really do want to battle Pokémon with Satoshi forever."
Tomori resolved firmly, echoed by Piplup's unwavering gaze.
"Piplup!"
As for Chihaya Anon? A mere acquaintance—no lasting Pokémon bond existed there.
"Piplup, I choose you!"
Tomori stood tall, overflowing with newfound confidence as she elegantly mirrored Satoshi's heroic gesture. Piplup leaped from her embrace, landing gracefully onto the battlefield.
"Pip-lup!"
She would show Satoshi the true bond between herself and Piplup!
Pokémon battles, forever!
"Use [Aerial Ace]!"