Pokémon: No Way! The Golden Finger Only Comes When I'm About To Die!?

At this moment, the sky had not yet completely darkened, and there were not many people or Pokémon asleep in the city, let alone anyone having nightmares.

Thus, Darkrai could only wander aimlessly through the city, drifting through the shadows.

In truth, it could actively create nightmares using its Bad Dreams ability, but Angie would never allow that.

Bound by the Master Ball, it couldn't escape, and it wasn't strong enough to fight back. Darkrai could only resign itself to its fate.

Suddenly, it sensed the presence of a nightmare. In a flash, it disappeared from where it was and quickly moved toward the source of the nightmare.

The one having the nightmare was an elderly Furfrou.

Recently, Furfrou's trainer had passed away. They had grown up together, sharing over sixty years of companionship, witnessing the trainer's journey from childhood to adulthood, marriage, and having children.

But a month ago, the trainer succumbed to the inevitable cycle of life and death.

After the trainer's passing, Furfrou was taken in by the trainer's daughter.

The trainer's daughter treated it well, and her own daughter adored it, vowing to choose a Furfrou as her first Pokémon in the future.

Yet, Furfrou still felt that something was off.

Yes, it was because its beloved trainer was gone.

Without its trainer, every day felt like something was missing. Furfrou drifted through life in a daze, plagued by nightmares each night.

It thought that perhaps its own end was near.

Dying wouldn't be so bad; that way, it could reunite with its dearest trainer.

That evening, as dusk fell, Furfrou lay on the cushion by the window, watching the setting sun, and dozed off in a haze.

As always, it started dreaming the same nightmare.

Ah... it was this scene again. The trainer's funeral, where everything was either white or a solemn black, accompanied by the sound of weeping.

Furfrou sat by the black-and-white photo, while the trainer's daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter knelt in front of it, wiping away their tears.

People came and went, offering their condolences.

Everyone was crying, but Furfrou couldn't shed a single tear. It sat motionless, as if its soul had left its body, even forgetting how to blink.

Suddenly, the trainer's daughter hugged it tightly. The little girl sobbed loudly, her tears soaking into Furfrou's fur.

Oppressive.

So oppressive.

It was suffocating.

So suffocating!

Furfrou felt as if a heavy stone was crushing its heart, making it hard to breathe.

"Trainer, where are you? Save me... Please save me!"

Just as Furfrou was about to break down, a dark shadow appeared in its dream.

The shadow opened its massive mouth, and in an instant, it devoured all the darkness.

Furfrou felt a moment of dizziness, and when it came to its senses, it realized it was in a different place.

No longer surrounded by black and white, and no longer hearing sobbing, it now stood on a bustling and lively street.

The street was filled with people, laughter, and joy.

It was the familiar Azoth Kingdom street where it had spent decades with its trainer.

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out.

"Furfrou, why are you standing there in a daze? Hurry up, or I'm leaving without you!"

Furfrou followed the voice and widened its eyes in disbelief.

It was its trainer—her younger self.

She wore a white dress, carried her favorite handbag, and had a white sunhat on her head. Her long black hair flowed in the gentle breeze.

Furfrou lifted its feet and dashed toward her, throwing itself into her arms and licking her face enthusiastically.

"It's you, my trainer!"

"Oh, Furfrou, what's gotten into you today? You're so affectionate!" the trainer laughed as Furfrou's enthusiasm made her giggle.

After a long while, her owner stood up and said to Furfrou, "Furfrou, let's go!"

Furfrou nodded and followed her owner with light steps.

Next, it happily trailed behind its owner, walking down the bustling streets of the Azoth Kingdom.

Her owner took it to buy beautiful clothes.

They went to eat delicious food that they had always wanted to try but never had the chance to.

They even went to the hair salon to get a trendy haircut—the king's style, which was Furfrou's favorite. It had wanted this hairstyle for a long time.

After the haircut, Furfrou strutted down the street proudly.

Happy times are always fleeting. Soon, it was evening, and the soft sunset cast a warm glow over the kingdom.

Her owner was walking ahead when she suddenly turned around. With the sunset behind her, her face was obscured by the shadow.

"Furfrou, today was really fun!"

Furfrou nodded; it was happy too.

"But..." Her owner's tone paused. "We still have to say goodbye in the end."

Furfrou froze in place.

Then it saw its owner's face break into a brilliant smile. She blinked at Furfrou and said in a relaxed tone, "I don't want you to come see me too soon!"

By now, Furfrou's face was already drenched with tears.

"Furfrou~" Her voice grew soft, and her smile gradually faded. In a gentle voice, she pleaded, "Furfrou, will you live on in my place and take good care of Aya and Reiko?"

Aya was her owner's daughter's name, and Reiko was her granddaughter's name.

Furfrou nodded firmly. It would, it definitely would!

Seeing this, her owner showed a hint of reluctance. She slowly crouched down and gently hugged Furfrou around the neck.

"Good girl, live bravely, okay? I'll always be with you, always and forever."

Furfrou nodded and rubbed its head gently against her neck.

Slowly, her owner turned into twinkling lights and disappeared into the sunset.

After a long time, Furfrou opened its tear-filled eyes.

At that moment, Aya walked over, crouched down, and gently stroked Furfrou's head. "Furfrou, were you thinking about Mom again?"

Feeling the warmth of Aya's hand, a glimmer of light returned to Furfrou's previously dim eyes.

Owner, I will take good care of Aya and Reiko for you.

"Furfrou, are you hungry? I'll get you something to eat," Aya said.

Ever since her mother passed away, Furfrou had only been eating a little every day. Aya was really afraid that it would follow her mother in passing away.

Losing two family members in a row—she couldn't bear it.

Originally, Aya thought Furfrou would refuse again, but to her surprise, it nodded in agreement.

Aya was overjoyed. "Furfrou, wait here. I'll be right back!"

She quickly got up and ran to the kitchen.

When Reiko returned from school, she saw her mother sitting on the sofa with Furfrou in her arms, watching TV. Compared to before, Furfrou seemed much better.

"Mom, Furfrou!" Reiko cheered, plopping down beside them and chattering about everything that had happened at school today.

Meanwhile, far away, Darkrai wore a sour expression.

"Pah! Pah! What kind of dream was that? Why was it so bitter?!"

With that, Darkrai continued to wander through the city, swallowing a few more nightmares of varying sizes.

As the night deepened and more people fell asleep, the number of nightmares gradually increased.

Another nightmare detected!

Darkrai quickly slipped into the shadows and rushed toward the source of the nightmare.

At least a hundred nightmares tonight—how long would it take to finish them all?

Leo was ten years old and a student at the Trainer School. Tomorrow would be the day he received his first Pokémon and became a Trainer.

(Note: In the world of this book, anyone of any age can become a Trainer. The League does not have a rigid rule requiring a person to be ten years old; rather, ten is simply the age when children are allowed to travel with Pokémon. For reference, in the Paldea region, Elite Four member Poppy was already an Elite Four member at the age of nine.

The rule that one must be ten years old to own a Pokémon is a local policy implemented by certain regions and cities based on their specific circumstances.)

Some children at school already have their own Pokémon at a young age.

This is closely related to the educational philosophy of their teachers.

Some teachers believe that children should interact with Pokémon as early as possible to build a deep bond with them.

Others believe that children are not mature enough before the age of ten, and early exposure to Pokémon could be detrimental to both the children and the Pokémon. If they fail to get along well, the children might even develop a dislike for Pokémon.

Therefore, before the age of ten, it is important to establish a solid foundation, acquire knowledge, and understand how to get along with Pokémon in the future.

Leo's teacher belongs to the latter group.

Initially, Leo was very envious of other children who had Pokémon early on.

However, one day on his way home, he was suddenly attacked by a wild Malamar.

Although he was rescued in time, the terrifying image of Malamar remains deeply imprinted in his mind.

Since that day, Leo has developed a psychological shadow regarding Pokémon. Whenever he encounters them, his body trembles uncontrollably.

In daily life, he instinctively avoids Pokémon whenever they appear.

Thus, when he was informed that he would be selecting his first Pokémon the next day, Leo felt extremely anxious.

Fearing that his parents would worry, he never told them about his trauma.

Perhaps because his mind was preoccupied with the thought, he had a nightmare that night.

In the dream, he found himself in a dark, empty forest with nothing in sight.

Leo was extremely frightened, wandering through the forest anxiously calling out:

"Dad, Mom, where are you?"

But there was no response.

"Hee hee hee~~"

"Keh keh keh~~"

"Ha ha ha~~"

Suddenly, eerie laughter echoed through the darkness, sending chills down Leo's spine.

Then, one Inkay after another floated out from the depths of the forest, gazing at him with ill intent.

Following them, a terrifying Malamar slowly emerged.

"Malamar~ Malamar~"

Malamar's eyes radiated an intimidating light, just like the day it attacked him.

Leo instinctively backed away, only to find that he was surrounded by Inkay.

"Dad... Mom..." Leo trembled in fear, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Malamar~ Malamar~"

Malamar then commanded the Inkay to attack Leo.

Just then, a shadow appeared in Leo's dream, swallowing his nightmare in one gulp.

In an instant, the dark forest in Leo's dream disappeared, replaced by a lush, vibrant forest filled with birds and flowers.

However, the Malamar and Inkay did not vanish with it.

As the Inkay launched their Psybeam towards Leo, a pillar of fire, a stream of water, and a green projectile appeared out of nowhere, instantly neutralizing the attack.

"Fennekin~"

"Froakie~"

"Chespin~"

To Leo's surprise, three small Pokémon descended from the sky—a fiery red fox, a blue frog, and a green hedgehog.

They were none other than Fennekin, Froakie, and Chespin, the three starter Pokémon from the Kalos region!

It was their Flamethrower, Water Pulse, and Pin Missile that had just stopped the Psybeam.

"Fennekin~"

"Froakie~"

"Chespin~"

The three Pokémon turned to Leo with determined gazes, as if to say, "With us here, you have nothing to fear."

The presence of the three Pokémon enraged Malamar, which roared and commanded all the Inkay to attack.

In an instant, countless Psybeams filled the air.

However, the three Pokémon were very brave.

Fennekin unleashed a Fire Spin, sending flames surging from its mouth, engulfing many of the Psybeams and trapping several Inkay within the fiery vortex.

Froakie was equally impressive, releasing a Water Pulse that swept through the area, canceling many Psybeams and confusing several Inkay in the process.

Chespin was not to be outdone, firing a barrage of Pin Missiles from the spikes on its head, accurately intercepting each incoming Psybeam.

Under Leo's astonished gaze, Fennekin, Froakie, and Chespin defeated the Inkay one by one, steadfastly protecting him.

But there were simply too many Inkay. Despite their bravery, the three Pokémon gradually sustained injuries.

"Fennekin, Froakie, Chespin!" Leo's face involuntarily showed a worried expression.

Sensing Leo's concern, the three Pokémon turned back and smiled at him.

In the next moment, to Leo's surprise, each of their bodies began to glow with a bright white light.

Based on what he learned at school, Leo knew that Fennekin and the others were about to evolve.

Sure enough, after the glow dissipated, Fennekin, Froakie, and Chespin evolved into Braixen, Frogadier, and Quilladin, respectively.

After evolving, the three Pokémon became significantly stronger and quickly defeated the group of Inkay.

With the Inkay defeated, Malamar was furious and decided to take action personally.

"Malamar~"

Malamar swung its two tentacles, which were as sharp as blades, and instantly shot out two crescent-shaped energy blades.

Frogadier and Quilladin quickly rushed forward.

Frogadier gathered water in its hand, forming a blade to clash against one of the Psycho Cuts.

Quilladin's entire body radiated a white glow as it used Tackle to intercept the other Psycho Cut.

Meanwhile, Braixen seized the opportunity to wave its stick and unleashed a Flamethrower towards Malamar.

Unfortunately, Malamar was too strong.

Frogadier struggled to hold its Water Blade against the Psycho Cut, but eventually, it couldn't hold on. The water blade shattered, and Frogadier was sent flying.

Quilladin's Tackle collided with the Psycho Cut, producing a shower of sparks, but ultimately, it too was sent flying.

"Malamar~ Malamar~"

Malamar laughed as it floated toward Leo. Braixen hurriedly tried to stop it but was hit by a Sucker Punch, letting out a painful cry as it was sent tumbling.

Frogadier and Quilladin quickly got back up and charged at Malamar once more, but Malamar used Psychic to control them and smashed them into the ground.

"Frogadier! Quilladin! Braixen!"

Seeing his Pokémon fighting so hard for him, Leo was deeply moved, but he was powerless.

As Malamar drew closer and closer, suddenly, the three Pokémon behind it let out determined cries.

Braixen was suddenly engulfed in flames, which wrapped around its entire body.

A surge of water spiraled around Frogadier, enveloping it completely.

Meanwhile, a green glow surrounded Quilladin, encasing it entirely.

When the flames, water, and green light faded, they had evolved into new forms: Delphox, Greninja, and Chesnaught.

"Chesnaught~"

Chesnaught roared and was the first to launch an Arm Thrust at Malamar.

Malamar shot out a Psycho Cut to stop it, but Chesnaught curled up, and green spikes sprouted all over its body, successfully blocking the attack.

After evolving, Chesnaught had learned the defensive move Spiky Shield.

At the same time, Greninja, with its exceptional speed, silently appeared behind Malamar and hurled a Water Shuriken, striking Malamar's back.

Malamar staggered forward uncontrollably, and Delphox seized the opportunity to unleash a Mystical Fire head-on.

Dazed and disoriented from the hit, Malamar was left open for Chesnaught, who appeared beside it and landed a powerful Arm Thrust on its abdomen.

Finally, Malamar collapsed to the ground.

After defeating Malamar, the three Pokémon stood together in front of Leo and simultaneously placed their hands on his shoulders.

From their smiling eyes, Leo felt as if they were telling him:

"Keep going, we'll be waiting for you!"

Then, in a flash of light, the three Pokémon transformed into countless twinkling stars and disappeared.

Leo thought to himself: Maybe he would never be afraid of Pokémon again.

After the three Pokémon vanished, the defeated Inkay and Malamar also dissolved into twinkling stardust and disappeared.

Darkrai left Leo's house, still looking sickly.

"Darkrai~ Darkrai~"

What kind of disgusting nightmare was that?!

At this moment, Darkrai finally realized Angie's sinister intentions.

Humans are emotional creatures, and their dreams are filled with all kinds of experiences—sadness, pain, fear...

After consuming these dreams, the complex mix of emotions followed into Darkrai's body, making it feel extremely uncomfortable.

In comparison, Komala's dreams were pure and simple.

The long night was still ahead, and there were plenty more nightmares waiting for Darkrai to "taste."