Pokemon: I refuse to be a supporting character!

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Li Xiang had tried guessing which Pokémon Li Zhehan would bring back.

Something from the island region, perhaps?

With his dad's sense of aesthetics, it could have been a Stufful—or maybe a Komala? Or perhaps a Water-type Pokémon?

But he never expected it to be a Riolu!

"Meow!"

Litten, already mentally prepared, let out an angry roar and charged straight back!

Thud!

The two small Pokémon collided with a forceful crash, separating in a flash like lightning.

In the blink of an eye, they were at least five meters apart, glaring at each other while growling low in warning.

"Fera—"

"Hold it."

Li Xiang stopped the two larger Pokémon from intervening just in time, a curious expression spreading across his face. "Let them fight."

Was it his imagination, or did this Riolu seem especially hostile toward Litten?

He observed the blue pup's eyes and expression closely, and there was no doubt about it.

Yes, hostility, anger, and rejection.

This "gift" from Li Zhehan was glaring at Litten with furious eyes, as if it had been wronged by it in the past.

Why?

Litten, on the other hand, wore a serious expression. Without Li Xiang's command or the opponent making a move, it had no intention of attacking.

But intimidation? That was necessary.

Intimidate activated!

Litten's eyes widened, triggering its ability.

Success!

Li Xiang saw Riolu shudder slightly and realized this little one didn't have the Inner Focus ability.

Inner Focus would have ignored Intimidate and prevented flinching. If Riolu had that ability, it would've been a natural nemesis for Litten.

But it wasn't.

'Steadfast, perhaps?'

'Or… Prankster?'

"Raoooh!"

While Li Xiang pondered, the intimidated Riolu suddenly turned into a streak of white light, charging at Litten again!

'That was… Quick Attack!'

The unexpected move startled Li Xiang, and Litten nearly failed to react in time. Thankfully, it had seen this technique many times before and had some experience countering it.

In moments like these, all it needed to do was wait patiently and then—

Dodge!

At the last possible second, Litten sidestepped, avoiding Riolu's tackle.

Moves that temporarily boosted speed were like driving a car—you couldn't stop instantly just because you wanted to.

"Meowh!"

Litten let out a low growl, the fur on its back flaring up like a mountain peak. Flames erupted from its fur, engulfing it in a fiery aura!

Flame Charge!

Now a blazing fireball, Litten crashed into Riolu's back!

Thud!

With a muffled sound, Riolu let out an uncontrollable wail, tumbling like a spinning top before landing by Li Xiang's feet. Its small head smacked into his foot with a comical thwack.

Amused, Li Xiang crouched down quickly, trying to help the little Pokémon up. Unexpectedly, Riolu wasn't interested in his help.

"Rio..!"

It slapped his hand away with its tiny paw, standing back up to face Litten, its expression defiant and full of grievance.

Not far away, Litten sneered coldly.

So, this is supposed to be its future teammate, huh?

Hmph.

Coming in hot to fight for dominance? Just as Li Xiang said—this one's going to be a handful.

But if it thought Litten would back down or show weakness, it was sorely mistaken!

"Meowh!"

Litten crouched low, its piercing slit pupils locking onto Riolu.

'Come on! Let your Cat Boss show you who's in charge!'

However, just as both Li Xiang and Litten expected Riolu to continue its assault, the humanoid pup froze, staring blankly at Litten.

Then, it closed its eyes, as if trying to sense something.

Li Xiang and Litten exchanged confused glances, both puzzled.

What's going on now?

I was ready, and now you're calling it off?

"Rio…"

Riolu reopened its eyes, looking around at its surroundings, then back at Li Xiang and the two large Pokémon behind him. Finally, it glanced over at Litten, letting out a curious cry.

It seemed the little guy had just realized it was in a completely unfamiliar environment, surrounded by strangers—both humans and Pokémon.

"Riolu."

Li Xiang signaled Litten to stand down before stepping forward with a warm smile. "Hello there, I'm Li Xiang."

Riolu turned to look at the boy, its gaze briefly scanning the Luxury Ball in his hand before a look of realization crossed its face.

"Riolu!"

So, it's you!

"Hmm… I'm not sure why you attacked Litten earlier, but from today onward, we're teammates. Let's look out for each other, support one another, and grow stronger together."

Li Xiang extended his hand to Riolu.

This wasn't just an empty gesture—he genuinely meant it.

Litten cautiously stepped forward, avoiding getting too close to Riolu. Instead, it circled around and positioned itself behind Li Xiang to avoid provoking the little Pokémon.

Riolu stared at Li Xiang's open palm, its masked face revealing a complex expression.

But after a moment's hesitation, it placed its paw in his hand. Riolu could sense through the aura that the person in front of it was brimming with kindness and joy.

As a Pokémon that had been ready to spend its life with a trainer since it was still in its egg, its resolve was incomparable to that of other Pokémon.

Li Xiang gently clasped its paw and gave it a slight shake, his smile growing wider.

The first step in bonding with a new Pokémon was always a friendly interaction.

The first step had been taken, now, the rest could follow gradually.

Even though he still didn't understand why Riolu had been so hostile toward Litten initially, there was no need to rush such matters.

Building trust with a Pokémon was a step-by-step process.

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Riolu, the Emanation Pokémon.

From the moment of its birth, it has had the ability to perceive aura. It uses aura to communicate with its companions and to observe the emotions of humans, other Pokémon, and even the natural environment.

Some exceptionally talented Riolu can even project aura as an attack—what is known as Aura Sphere.

In this world, Riolu is so rare that even with the League's efforts to support its breeding, any Riolu that appears in a daycare was snapped up within five minutes.

Why?

The answer lies in its ability: Aura Power.

A mysterious force.

Just as there are unique individuals among Pokémon, the same applies to humans.

The most renowned examples include Psychics, Devotees of the Gods, Nature's Favored, and… Aura Guardians.

The first group, Psychics, needs little explanation.

Notable figures like Sabrina from the original games represent them, and they are also frequently featured in the anime.

The second group consists of worshippers of mythical Pokémon like Arceus. These Devotees are fervent believers, said to inherit extraordinary powers from their faith.

For instance, the inhabitants of the Creation Valley from the movie Hoopa and the Clash of Ages.

The third group resembles the Viridian Children from the Pokémon Special manga, individuals who appear once every decade. Famous examples include Lance and Yellow.

Then there's the fourth group: Aura Guardians.

It's said that among these extraordinary groups, Aura Guardians are unique in that their abilities can be acquired through training.

While the exact methods remain a mystery, it's widely believed that if one can perceive aura through their Lucario, they can potentially learn to wield aura with its guidance.

Compared to hoping for divine blessings from an unseen Arceus, this idea of mastering aura through effort seems far more attainable.

As a result, Riolu has become one of the most sought-after Pokémon.

Whenever one appears, it's quickly taken by someone eager to unlock its potential.

After all, who wouldn't want the chance to wield such a mystical power?

Thus, in this world, Riolu holds a status of being ever-so-slightly "rare."