Deep in the jungle, on a grassy clearing, two figures stood facing each other.
"Why do you suddenly want to fight?"
The middle-aged man who had put on his old police uniform seemed to be in a good mood, and he was still thinking about teasing: "Well, it's because our eyes have met."
"Why……?"
Seeing the girl across from him with a speechless expression, the retired detective laughed.
"Are you going to refuse?"
"how come."
The young trainer also smiled helplessly. The shrunken red and white ball rolled lightly from the palm to the fingertips, and was accurately clamped. The Pokémon's eager eyes were vaguely revealed behind the translucent ball shell.
"——Just as you said."
Pokémon battles between free trainers never require any reason. Responding positively to challenges is almost an instinctive action. This was true when the fledglings started their journey in the Kanto region, and it is also true now in the far southern country.
After nodding to the Kati Dog who was in a fighting stance, Saya threw the Poké Ball in her hand.
The figure of the dark blue puppy emerged in the light. It shook its ears excitedly, and its red eyes were full of burning fighting spirit.
Since the earth-shattering battle at Snowstorm Villa, Riolu has been training hard day and night, waiting for the day when he will no longer be easily knocked down when facing a powerful enemy and can fully exert his power - and today is what he has been waiting for for a long time. time.
A summer breeze envelopes the jungle, letting the scraping of swaying leaves seep into the silence. When the first falling green leaves touched the soil, the trainers took action at the same time.
"Fire Wheel!"
"Shadow clone."
Kati Dog was wearing a flame armor and charged fiercely. Riolu turned into dozens of afterimages and tried to avoid the sharp edge, but his opponent was not disturbed at all. He ignored the illusory afterimages without hesitation and went straight towards the main body.
The Fighting Pokémon reacted very quickly and changed its posture, folding its hands in front of it to block the Kati Dog's onslaught. It's just that its defense was a little hasty. Although it stabilized its body, its arms were inevitably burned by the flames.
Xiaoye's eyes immediately fell on the tip of the dog's twitching nose.
She knew that canine Pokémon all had an excellent sense of smell, and Katy was the best among them. The opponent in front of him has obviously received corresponding specialized training. The "Smell Detection" move has been integrated into almost every move. Riolu's position can be easily captured without spending time sniffing carefully.
The Kati dog succeeded in attacking again. Facing the approaching blazing flames, Riolu turned back to look at the trainer first - seeing that the calm-looking girl had no intention of speaking, it immediately had the answer in its mind.
The flame wheel came quickly with heat waves and impact. Riolu rushed left and right but was unable to get rid of his opponent. In the end, he had to parry the Kati Dog's attack with his bare hands. All the heavy force fell on the target, but the brute force unique to the fighting type steadily withstood the impact; at the same time as the trainer behind him gave the order, Riolu's arm suddenly tightened, and he severely strangled the dog's arms. body.
"Double return!"
The orange-red puppy Pokémon was slammed to the ground by the force of the collision. Smoke and dust flew everywhere for a moment, and it was obvious that the fall was not light.
Riolu took advantage of the victory and pursued, but before the Kati dog could regain his balance, the hand knife surrounded by orange light had already slashed down fiercely. Just when the split tile was about to hit its target, a loud noise suddenly exploded in its ears.
It was like thunder falling on the ground, roaring in his ears so close that Riolu could see stars for a moment and almost didn't know where he was. But the instigator easily broke free from his opponent's restraints and regained the distance, his posture still majestic.
In the past, before all tragedies had happened, Cady Dog was a Pokémon specially bred to protect a vulnerable girl. Shoichi Matsunaga is proficient in the training methods of police dogs and carefully molds them into the most qualified guards. Nowadays, although the original goal has been unable to be achieved, and the police officers have retired and left the front line, the Kati dog and its owner have never slacked off. Day after day training has made it the best among police dogs - whether it is to detect enemies by smell. Roaring and intimidating, these are the specialties of Kati Dog, who is the right-hand man of the police.
Riolu shook his head and took two steps back, finally freeing his mind from the loud noise, and saw that the opponent in front of him had disappeared at some point.
"Watch your step."
The voice coming from behind made Riolu think. It turned its head slightly and exchanged glances with its trainer; the invisible ripples spread like water waves and quickly captured the figure of the Kati dog that had dived underground.
Although the thin layer of soil was not enough to interfere with the waveguide's judgment, it still appeared to be overly nervous, spinning around in circles in a daze. After noticing that the ground beneath his feet began to tremble slightly, Riolu jumped up high without thinking, trying to avoid the crisis coming from the underground.
"Now - Flame Fang!"
The kadi dog heard the sound and jumped out of the soil. Riolu, who took off too early, had no time to change direction in the air, but the puppy Pokémon charged even harder, and its flaming teeth were about to touch the target's body.
"Rock Blockade."
Riolu, who seemed to be in a panic just a second ago, bared his teeth and laughed. It clasped its palms together, and the sharp stone edge that had been lying in wait rose from the ground, stabbing into the sky like a sharp knife, directly hitting the soft belly of the Kati dog.
Seeing his partner whining and being thrown far away, Matsunaga suddenly realized that Riolu's seemingly flawed high jump was just a trap, and the real purpose was to attract the katy dogs to jump together.
That rock blockade hit the vital point directly. If it were a weak fire Pokémon, it might not be able to get up. Fortunately, the Kati dog, which has been trained for a long time, is strong and capable, and it quickly adjusted its posture in the air.
Riolu quickly approached the landing point with a flash of white light, and Matsunaga's instructions came immediately.
"Fire Vortex!"
The Kati Dog in the sky spit out dazzling fire, spinning and circling together with the strong air current, forming a cage of fire that trapped Riolu in it.
Matsunaga knew that Riolu's ability to control the waveguide was far less robust than that of the evolved type. The high temperature was enough to disrupt its detection, and the mere flames could not block the Cady Dog's sight. There was no doubt that now was a good opportunity to attack.
"Spray flames!"
"There was a flash of lightning."
As the Kati dogs ran and attacked, streaks of flames penetrated from the other side of the vortex, scorching the already hot air in midsummer.
The waveguide was thrown into chaos, and it was difficult for the naked eye to judge the direction of the attack in advance. Even with the speed bonus of the lightning flash, Riolu still found it difficult to dodge. Through the blazing flames, the short figure could be vaguely seen running and jumping in the center of the whirlpool. He tried his best to barely avoid the sharp edge of the jet of flames, and had no time to fight back.
However, due to the scorching high temperature and the non-stop strenuous exercise, even the strongest Pokémon cannot last long.
The Kati dog is like a hunter in the grassland, running leisurely around the whirlpool of flames, spraying flames from time to time to cause trouble for its opponents. But two minutes passed, and its dark eyes gradually became wary.
"Woof!"
The dog barked loudly.
Matsunaga's expression suddenly became serious. He didn't know what his partner had noticed, but he trusted Katigou's judgment without hesitation and quickly issued instructions to change the situation of the battle.
"Hot air!"
The Kati dog opened its mouth and spat out a billowing wave of heat. The flame vortex was caught by the airflow and stopped rotating, crushing forward like a wall. But such a powerful attack could not hurt Riolu at all - the sharp light dispersed the flames like sword energy, revealing the Pokémon's figure and scorching red eyes.
The retired detective's brows gradually frowned.
He didn't think that Riolu, with his body as a mere baby Pokémon, could easily neutralize Kati Dog's flames with a simple move like Metal Claw. Then, the answer is obvious - while it is seemingly helpless and trapped in the flame vortex, it is always performing "Sword Dance" to strengthen its attack capabilities!
Matsunaga had no time to think about why Riolu was able to use Sword Dance while dodging the jet of flames. He knew that if he didn't interrupt the opponent's movements, the situation would definitely become more dangerous.
"Move at high speed!"
The Kati dog ran with all his strength, like a red lightning leaping in the grass, and approached Riolu within a few seconds. The trainer gave the order for a crash, and the puppy Pokémon prepared to attack with all its strength, and then stopped suddenly at the end of its aggressive steps.
This is a feint attack method they often use, using a strong attack to get close, but in fact they use roar to interfere with the opponent's reaction. Matsunaga's eyes were firmly fixed on the position of the two Pokémon, and he gave a decisive order when they were close enough.
"Roaring..."
"Scratch!"
Two almost overlapping voices echoed in the jungle. The restless sound waves collided together, then canceled each other out and melted in the air. Matsunaga was stunned by the unexpected change. He didn't react suddenly until the command of "split tiles" from the opposite side reached his ears.
"Spray flame——"
Kati Dog sprayed out a beam of high-temperature flames to attack, and Riolu's fists and feet chose to collide head-on without fear. The hand knife surrounded by orange light was like a sharp blade, carrying a strong air current and slashing down from the top, slicing open the flames lightly. The Kati dog jumped back in a hurry, barely escaping the attack. The tiles smashed into the dirt, carving spider web-like cracks in the jungle clearing.
Chance!
Matsunaga's eyes lit up. Perhaps it was the increase brought about by the sword dance, but the excessive impact caused Riolu's entire body's weight to shift to the arm that launched the attack, making it difficult to adjust his posture quickly. If we attack now...
"Iron Tail——"
"Work hard!"
The Kati dog turned around lightly, and struck Riolu hard with its silver-gleaming tail.
Just as Matsunaga expected, Riolu, who had just launched a full-force attack, had no time to retreat - and there was no need to retreat. The dark blue puppy stood on the spot with no intention of moving. The palm that had already been cut into the soil turned around, and a fierce shock wave suddenly shot upward from the palm of the hand. Kati Dog's iron tail was only half a step away from the target, but it was still snatched away by the strong wind from below and unable to be thrown away.
It was only then that Matsunaga had time to take a deep breath and let the frozen look of shock appear on his face.
The trainer opposite was clearly only a ten-year-old newcomer, but his judgment was beyond imagination, and his command speed was incredibly fast. The retired criminal policeman had not experienced a battle for many years, and he realized that he could never confront her head-on - coincidentally, the power of the move, enhanced by the sword dance, knocked the dog far enough away, and the distance was naturally widened.
Riolu's trainer gave instructions for a rock blockade. Sharp stone edges broke out of the ground, pointing directly at the opponent who had not yet landed, trying to bury him in the stone prison. However, the Kati dog did not panic. The order of the "Flame Wheel" arrived. Its body rotated lightly in the air. The flames covering its whole body formed a solid protective shield, stabilizing the impact of removing the rock thorns; then it stepped on the stone edge. Leaping high at the top, Riolu's eyes moved up subconsciously, but he was dazzled by the bright summer sun, and his vision suddenly fell into a pale white.
"The mountain is overwhelming!"
The fierce flames were like the tail flames of a rocket, propelling the Cadillac down quickly, knocking down Riolu who had exposed his flaws. The ferocious fangs aimed at the neck and bit down. Riolu only had time to raise his hand hastily, and the flaming teeth clasped his arm. The pain was so heartbreaking that the usually tenacious Fighting Pokémon couldn't help but cry out in pain.
Riolu endured the pain and tried to shake the dog off, but the dog stubbornly refused to let go. The hot flames left scorch marks on the puppy's body, aggravating its injuries.
But at this moment, Matsunaga caught a glimpse of a strange yellow light. A thought flashed in his mind, and he said hastily: "Carty dog, retreat!"
The Cady Dog immediately let go and jumped away after hearing the order. The mist of light in Riolu's palm clearly came into view, which made Matsunaga confirm his guess.
The absorbing punch is a move that can steal the physical strength of the enemy it touches - if the stalemate continues like this, there will be no advantage at all, and it will only be a futile exchange of injuries for injuries. And Riolu has already shown amazing tenacity and resilience, and competing with it for physical strength is definitely not a cost-effective tactic.
Seeing that the opponent just waved his arm casually and then rushed forward again, Matsunaga immediately ordered: "Splash flames!"
The fireball hit the ground, sending sparks flying all over the sky, blocking sight even more than a thin rain curtain. Riolu had to slow down his steps, and Cady Dog had already taken the opportunity to bully him.
"Frolic!"
"Metal Claw."
Fairy-type powerful attacks are undoubtedly fatal to Fighting-type Pokémon. The Kati dog bounced around lightly, bathing in the pink light from time to time and launched a violent collision; Riolu relied on his steel-type metal claws to barely parry the attack and avoid being knocked down immediately.
A fighting dog with a stubborn temperament is naturally unwilling to be suppressed. It used its metal claws to constantly absorb the force of the play, and while minimizing the damage to itself, it took up fierce steps again - the special training at the Seven Fruit Islands made it master the sword dance more proficiently, and it frequently performed Fighting with fists and feet and pain will only slightly reduce the effectiveness of the move, but will not affect its smooth movement at all.
Matsunaga, who noticed the change of tactics, immediately changed his order. The pink mist around Kati Dog instantly switched to fire, and a powerful and heavy flame wheel slammed into it, forcibly interrupting Riolu's movements.
Looking at the scarred but still upright body of his opponent, and the rising sword energy that was almost turning into substance, the Kati dog barked in a low voice, and little bits of firelight seeped out from the fur, even the sticky summer in the south. The water vapor is distorted.
Both trainers knew that the time had come for a showdown.
The retired detective took a deep breath. The fierce battle he had not experienced for a long time made his heart beat like an earthquake. The young opponent on the other side remained motionless, not even trembling in his voice, as calm as before the battle began.
"Flash Charge——"
"Split the tiles!"
The flames controlled by Kati Dog were more intense than ever before, and the orange-red flame core almost glowed with white light under the high temperature; it dragged the gorgeous fire tail and ran quickly, and the grass and blades it passed instantly turned into ashes, almost like It is a meteor that tears apart the green shade. The airflow surrounding Riolu turned into a whirlwind, ruthlessly tearing apart fallen leaves and sand; the raised right fist in the center of the cyclone burst into dazzling golden light, almost more dazzling than the scorching sun.
In the hot air, gold and red collided without reservation.
The shock wave carried sparks and dust flying into the sky. For a while, the entire jungle was filled with smoke, making it almost impossible to breathe. It wasn't until Miao Miao, who arrived from afar, hurriedly activated her superpowers and turned the sky clear again that the trainers finally saw the situation on the field clearly.
The Kati dog who had used the strongest blow fell to the ground silently, struggling for a long time but still unable to get up. And Riolu shook his fist fiercely, dispelling the last trace of flames, and let out a joyful roar toward the sky.
When the summer sun swallowed up the last bit of coolness in the morning, the trainers' simple healing of their partners also came to an end.
Under the effect of the wound medicine, the two little guys who had tried their best have regained some energy, and they both sat obediently in the shade of the tree next to the trainer to enjoy the cool weather. Matsunaga smiled and stroked the dog's back, then raised his head.
"Xiaoye, I want to entrust it to you."
The young man's expression suddenly changed when he heard this. Just as he was about to make a rigid argument like "That's your friend's daughter, can you still treat her like this?" The middle-aged man quickly raised his hand to interrupt her.
"Wait, listen to me first."
Seeing that the purple-haired girl hesitated and remained silent, the Southerner, who was extremely afraid in his genes, even breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's not because I still stubbornly think you are that 'Saya'. Rather, now I am convinced that you and my best friend's daughter are completely different people." Matsunaga shook his head, "Long before you came here, I I’ve thought about it.”
The dog sat next to the wheelchair and looked at his owner quietly, seemingly not surprised.
"You know, it was raised as a police dog, so it naturally has the desire to fight for others." Matsunaga lowered his eyes, looked at his incomplete right leg, and smiled helplessly, "After the accident five years ago, I I didn't get to see the child, so I had to take the dog with me to breed him first. And as you can see - it can only act in the park with me, a disabled old policeman, and can't help anyone at all. .”
"Then, wouldn't it be better to entrust it to a young trainer with a sense of justice and let it embark on a new journey?"
Matsunaga gently pushed the dog, and he controlled the wheelchair to take a half step back.
"We have discussed this matter a long time ago, and we specifically asked it what it thought last night." The middle-aged man said.
“It validates you.”
The sudden turn of events left Xiaoye in a daze. But the dog had already taken a step forward and barked an energetic "bark" at the young man.
"I have witnessed your adventures in the past two days and know that you are all kind-hearted and good children. So..."
"Are you willing to continue to help others, protect others, and - fulfill your wishes in the future?"
Xiao Ye lowered her head.
The orange-red puppy sat upright in front of her, standing straight and wagging its tail. Its black eyes stared at her momentarily, as if expecting something.
She knelt down and stretched out her hand tentatively. The Kati dog sat on the spot without hiding, squinting as he accepted the girl's touch.
As early as its infancy, it remembered that its mission was to "protect."
Although the purple-haired child with a gentle smile from the past only flickered in the memory for a moment and then disappeared without a trace, over the past five years, it has become his instinct to take care of his disabled owner and protect his trainer. Even if it is just a splash of sewage or sand, it will rush forward without hesitation, turning its body into a shield for its trainer.
And now, for the first time, it saw the human standing in front of it - when the figure in the white robe fearlessly faced the dark blade and opened the passage with a staff in hand, the dog realized They have the same desire.
So, we can definitely become partners, right?
"……I see."
Xiaoye gently picked up the dog. The orange fluff clings to the palm of your hand docilely, conveying warmth. The puppy didn't struggle at all, just wagging its tail and licking the girl's fingers.
After hearing her answer, the detective in the wheelchair finally smiled in relief.
"I assure you, Mr. Matsunaga."
====================
small theater:
Saya: Mr. Matsunaga, if I lose the battle, will you still entrust the dog to me? (curious)
Matsunaga: Of course. I will say to you, "You have protected Kati Dog more than once in the past two days. In order to repay this courage and kindness, Kati Dog is willing to be the force to protect you" - yes, this is what I originally wanted I never thought that I would lose to a ten-year-old newcomer. Now what do you want me to say, "Does Kati Dog still want to be protected by you?" Even its owner would be bitten if he said such words! (haggard)
Xiaoye: ...Uh, right, sorry? (Confused)
