Chapter 72 - 31 - Memories of Fate

The next day is the day of memories, the day when memories will gather up and show it like a projector. And in the same time, the season is turning between summer and autumn, resulting in a mix of mild, hot summer and cool autumn winds. And after breakfast and preparing for the day, Rico went to the beach on foot while recalling the memories of that place, along with his Pokémon in their Poké Balls. And along the way, he come across the spot where he found Lucario, as a Riolu, his first Pokémon. In response of remembrance, Rico get Lucario's Poké Ball from his Pokébelt and called Lucario out, and it stepped into the scene seriously.

"Lucario, do you remember this?" Rico cheerfully asked it, "The place where we first met?" I'm response to that kind of question, Lucario was stunned a bit, looking around the scene, including the cave where Lucario, as a Riolu, came out; it then recalled the time it met Rico as a Riolu, including the rescue part. After recalling, Lucario turn its head to Rico and happily responded in remembering it. Looking happy by it, Rico responded, "Wow, you do remember it!"

Arriving at the beach, as the sun rises over the horizon and the waves slamming against the beach swiftly and mildly, Rico was standing up on a sand dune with all his Pokémon in his side. They were standing in fierce and confidence as the waves slam against the beach, sinking most of the sand in the bottom. After that cool scene, they all descended down to the beach to train for the day. The training was improved, bit by bit, with Lucario using Force Palm, Litleo using Flamethrower towards the sand, and Piplup using Hydro Pump on it to put out the fire.

After some training, they took a bus to a village next to the Soratas Meadows, the place where Rico's fate to become a Pokémon trainer took place. The village was also named after the actual meadows, hence the name "Soratas Village." Rico had been visiting that village since the end of the Kawayan Festival. All of this is sort of a pilgrimage of memories.

In less than 45 minutes, they arrived there as the village was busy for the day. His enthusiasm had almost took over his body and mind, like vitamins and minerals vitalizing his body. Walking around the village market, one of the merchants of wooden products, who knew Rico very well, waved his hand in greeting. Upon noticing him, Rico greeted him back with the waving of his hand; he then ran to the merchant's stall and said, "So, how's your sales for today?" He then lean towards a market pillar.

"Very well," the merchant replied in positivity and jolly while feeling his mustache, "How's your life in another region?"

"Well..." Rico answered while thinking a bit, "...just some a bit of readjustments so we could settle peacefully." Lucario, next to him, then responded in happy saying. Noticing the Riolu had evolved, the merchant responded with stunning, "Woah, did your Riolu just evolved?"

"Yes," Rico happily replied, "and I took off its Soothe Bell as a sign of evolution." Calming down, the merchant replied, "Oh, I see. Well, good job. That was an utter trust to your Pokémon then." His Pokémon, Grookey, a Galar starter, then responded with happiness. Standing up straight from leaning, Rico replied in positivity, "Thanks." This follows some chuckles and a short silence.

"So, what would you like?" the merchant asked the child breaking the silence, "I got new trending products here." In response of choice, Rico looked around his stall for something interesting and new. After much consideration and searching, he decided on a wooden, polish-finish small plate made of redwood trees.

"So you want these?" the merchant brightly made a guess, "That'll be 20 Pokedollars per piece."

"I'll take two," Rico made his choice while making a two-finger gesture for a second.

"Okay, that's 40," the merchant replied. In response, Rico get 2 banknotes from his wallet and gave it to the merchant in payment. Moments later, Rico, now had a paper bag of his purchases, is walking around the village and then his attention was caught at a boy named Enrique and his Pokémon, Heracross, a Bug and Fighting-type, and Lillipup, a Normal-type Pokémon, working at a crafts house alongside his parents and cousin. He was also a childhood friend of Rico since kindergarten. And as Enrique was working coloring some plain, white, wool-made cloth, Rico greeted him with the waving of the hand. And upon seeing Rico coming, Enrique let go his cloth, and greeted him back, asking how is he.

"I'm okay," Rico happily responded, "My new life in the another region is great." And then, sitting down on wooden stools, Enrique asked him, "How's your Pokémon?"

"Great!" Rico happily replied, "My Riolu had evolved into Lucario."

"Woah," Enrique replied with a stunning face, "That's was so awesome. How about others?"

"Nah, no, only Riolu did," Rico retorted with a face lack of initiative. He then turned to his happy self again.

"Oh, I understand now," Enrique replied with concern. Then in an enthusiastic, excited state, "But anyway, wanna battle with me? My Pokémon is getting stronger a lot, ya know!" Standing up with determination and coolness, Rico replied, "Sure! Okay."

At the fields outside the village, Rico and Enrique had a Pokémon battle. Their Pokémon are Litleo and Heracross.

"Wow, a Heracross," Rico commented in interesting amazement. He then pulled out his Pokédex and pointed it towards Heracross; his Pokédex then responded, "Heracross, the Single Horn Pokémon. A Bug and Fighting-type. It loves sweet honey. To keep all the honey for itself, it hurls rivals away with its prized horn."

"Wow, that was so cool," Rico commented in stunning upon hearing this. He then put down his Pokédex on a chair and turned his focus on battling Enrique.

"So, how strong you are now?" Enrique asked him in style. His Heracross then responded in seriousness.

"Oh, you guessed that right," Rico responded with cool determination. Litleo then responded with seriousness.

And as the winds are blowing across the scenery in swift speeds, the battle begins.

"Alright, Litleo, use Headbutt!" Rico commanded Litleo in coolness. Litleo then charged and used Headbutt, attacking Heracross with its head, striking it effectively. And as Heracross was weakened to the ground, Litleo went back to its original position in serious action.

"Well, that was a powerful move," Enrique commented in style, "But how about this?* Then to Heracross in coolness, "Heracross, use Double Team!" Getting up in seriousness, Heracross charged towards Litleo and used Double Team, creating illusionary copies and disorient Litleo around it. Alerted by this, Rico thought, "Oh, no, it might struck Litleo hundreds of times by it." Then to Litleo in seriousness, "Litleo, use Flamethrower around you!" Litleo then spin around and used Flamethrower, opening its mouth and scorched an intense blast of fire, dissipating the Heracross copies, and even the original one, striking it.

"Oh, no, Heracross," Enrique commented in stunning-seriousness, "Quickly, use Shadow Claw!" Getting up from pain, Heracross charged towards Litleo and used Shadow Claw, slashing Litleo with a sharp claw made from shadows. But Rico quickly commanded Litleo, "Dodge it!" Litleo then dodged Heracross' attack, causing it to strike the ground instead and it inflicted it pain.

"Oh, no, don't give up!" Enrique responded in surprise as Rico smiled in confidence.

"Now! Flamethrower, again!" Rico commanded Litleo in seriousness. Litleo then used Flamethrower, opening its mouth and scorched an intense blast of fire towards the weakened Heracross, finishing it off. Heracross then fainted in exhaustion and defeat, shocking Enrique a lot.

"Now, you're saying?" Rico responded with style. Sighing in defeat and without any hesitation, Enrique called his Heracross back to its Poké Ball mildly and said softly, "Well, Heracross, we won in previous battles, but we lost against our friend as well. You need some rest. Good job." He then put it back in his Pokébelt, rise his head from being down to positive, and said to Rico, "Rico Titus, that was a fun battle. I can't you ever defeated me. Last time we won, now we lost."

"Wow, thanks," Rico happily replied. Litleo then responded in happiness.

"So, Rico," Enrique asked him breaking the silence, "how's your new life in another region"

"Well, it's cool," Rico replied, "we're getting used to her environment and surroundings a lot."

"Oh, okay," Enrique replied in getting what Rico said. And they watched the sunset as Pokémon birds are flying across the sky in groups. Reunion can continue friendships, but also rivalries as well.