Riolu cocked its head and let out a high-pitched chirp—"Rioluu?"—its tone filled with innocent confusion as Kai's abrupt shout pierced the silence. Kai, meanwhile, barely registered the sound. His crimson eyes were fixed on the murky black screen displaying jagged 8-bit text:
"WELCOME TO GAMEBOY ADVANCED WINDOW"
"HOST: KAI MERKABA"
"CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE OBTAINED A RIOLU"
Kai's brow furrowed. "What the hell is this?" he murmured. Then his breath caught; the blocky pixels and flickering glow stirred a strange familiarity within him—a feeling that reminded him too much of his nightmares. His pulse quickened as he leaned closer and whispered, "This... this looks like the screens from my nightmares. What is going on?"
Shaking off his uneasy thoughts, Kai tore his gaze away from the screen to glance at Riolu. Bewilderment still lingered on his face. "You see this too, right?" he asked, gesturing toward the display. "Does any of this make sense to you?"
Riolu blinked twice, its expression remaining blank. Kai sighed, the crease between his brows deepening. "Guess it's just me, then."
Trying to ease the tension, he offered the Pokémon a lopsided grin. "My bad for freaking you out. I'm Kai. Welcome to the team." He extended a fist. In response, Riolu's ears perked up and, with a delighted trill—"Rioo~luuu!"—it bumped its small paw against his knuckles, its eyes crinkling into joyful crescents.
"Partners?" Kai asked, his smile widening.
"Ryu!!" Riolu barked, tail wagging.
"Solid," Kai replied, ruffling the fur between its ears. "Stick close—I need to figure this out."
At that moment, the pixelated words on the screen flickered and shifted. New lines appeared:
"STATUS WINDOW LOADING…"
"POKÉMON: RIOLU (AURA POKÉMON)"
"TYPE: FIGHTING"
"LVL: 5"
"TEMPERAMENT: LOYAL, SERIOUS, PLAYFUL"
"GENDER: MALE"
"SPECIAL STATS: AURA SENSORY, FAST REFLEXES, COMBAT INSTINCTS"
"AURA TIER: MYTHICAL"
"BOND STRENGTH: 40%"
"SPECIAL NOTE: EXTENDED EGG INCUBATION WITH TRAINER HAS FORGED AN EXCEPTIONAL BOND. THIS RIOLU DEMONSTRATES SUPERIOR AURA CAPACITY AND PHYSICAL PROWESS."
Kai's eyes darted over the details until they landed on "AURA TIER: MYTHICAL." He repeated the word under his breath. "Mythical…?" His voice dropped low in disbelief. "What does that even mean?"
As if in answer, the text dissolved and reformed into a final statement that flickered like a dying lightbulb:
"IT MEANS YOUR RIOLU'S AURA APTITUDE SURPASSES ALL OTHERS."
Kai nodded slowly, the glow from the screen casting sharp shadows on his face. "Hmmm. I see. So that's what it mea—" His voice broke as he lunged forward, his fingers hovering over the screen as if it might burn him. "You can talk to me?"
The text scrambled, then snapped into place:
"AFFIRMATIVE. I CAN INTERACT DIRECTLY WITH THE HOST."
Riolu pawed at the floor, whining softly. To the Pokémon, Kai appeared as a silhouette muttering at empty air, yet an unusual static charge lingered—a sensation that Riolu could not ignore. It sniffed the air, alert to the unnatural hum woven through Kai's words.
Pressing a palm to his temple as the screen's light pulsed in time with his heartbeat, Kai admitted, "First the nightmares, now this…" He turned to Riolu, whose calm blue eyes held an unspoken understanding. "Sorry, buddy. I must look insane, huh?"
Then, harsh 8-bit words appeared on the screen:
"HE MUST THINK YOU'RE A MADMAN."
His jaw clenched, Kai's frustration boiled over. "You little piece o—" he began, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.
The sound of the creaking door broke the tension as warm hallway light spilled into the dim room. A woman's voice, still heavy with sleep, asked, "Kai? Who're you talking to?"
Riolu froze. Kai's shadow stretched long and jagged across the wall as the screen's text faded into nothingness.
The door swung open, revealing a long, dark brown-haired woman with striking crimson eyes. "Who are you talk—" she started, but her words caught in her throat as her eyes fell on Riolu. Then, noticing an empty glass casing where an egg once rested, she understood. A gentle smile spread across her face. "My my, is that the Pokémon that hatched from the egg?"
Kai fumbled with his fingers. "Yes, Mom."
Charlotte stepped closer to Riolu, with Celeste trailing quietly behind her. Celeste's amber eyes observed the scene intently from the doorway. As Charlotte neared the little creature, Riolu's cerulean eyes widened in wonder. Standing before it, Charlotte raised her right hand and gently patted Riolu's head.
Riolu closed its eyes in contentment, its ears drooping slightly under the soothing touch. Celeste watched the tender moment with quiet approval, her multiple tails swaying gracefully behind her.
After a pause, Charlotte withdrew her hand and, glancing from Kai to Riolu, said warmly, "I suppose you're already friends. Take care of each other and always stay together—that's what a trainer and his Pokémon do, right?"
Kai, who had been silent until now, managed a slight smile. In unison with Riolu, he replied, "Yes!" followed by an enthusiastic, "Rio~luu!"
Charlotte's smile deepened at their response. She reached into her trousers and pulled out a small red rectangular box. Opening it carefully, she revealed a compact, intricately designed Poké Ball. Its deep blue and black sphere was accented with a wave-like light blue symbol and a subtle red stripe through the center, topped with a golden capture button.
Taking Kai's hand gently, Charlotte offered the Poké Ball. "This is Riolu's partner ball that arrived with his egg. I've kept it safe until now. It's your turn to take care of it, Kai."
Kai's eyes sparkled as he gazed at the Poké Ball, a soft "Wow~" escaping his lips—a sound that carried both wonder and the promise of new beginnings.
As the conversation drew to a close, Celeste—the elegant nine-tailed Pokémon—stepped closer to Riolu. To the surprise of both, Celeste positioned herself directly in front of the little creature. Charlotte raised her brows playfully. "Ara, Celeste? Are you here to give your blessings?"
Celeste responded with a soft, melodic "Whhrooo~" and gently pressed her forehead against Riolu's. The Pokémon's eyes widened in surprise before closing in concentration. Gradually, an amber halo began to glow between their foreheads, radiating a warm, pulsating light that filled the room. Even as sunlight streamed through the glass-paneled windows, the ethereal glow dominated the space.
Charlotte watched with a knowing smile, her heart swelling with maternal pride. Meanwhile, Kai's curiosity blazed as he tightened his grip around the Poké Ball. "What's going on? I've never seen anything like this," he thought.
Noticing his awe, Charlotte bent down gently. "Are you curious about what's happening?"
Kai looked up, meeting Charlotte's reassuring gaze. "Yes," he admitted softly.
With her smile still gentle, Charlotte turned back to Celeste and Riolu. "That, my dear, is called the blessing of Ninetales."
No sooner had she finished than the amber halo slowly faded. Celeste withdrew her head from Riolu, and both creatures opened their eyes. In that moment, Riolu's eyes began to glow with a brighter blue radiance, and waves of blue energy rippled outward from its form.
"Woahh," Kai exclaimed in awe. Suddenly, an opaque screen materialized in thin air before him, displaying glowing pixelated text:
"CONGRATULATIONS TO HOST, YOUR RIOLU HAS RECEIVED THE BLESSINGS OF AN ANCIENT NINETALES."
"BLESSINGS RECEIVED:"
"AMBERCLAD AURA"
"EYES OF THE VULPINE SAGE"
"OATH OF THE EVER-BURNING"