"Well, Riolu, let's get you cleaned up," Alex said, glancing at his companion. "You're covered in blood after taking down that Murkrow, so let's head back to that lake you showed me earlier."
"Riolu," the Pokémon responded with a nod, eager to wash away the mess left from the fight.
As they began walking toward the lake, Alex glanced at Riolu with a proud smile. "You know, that wasn't bad at all. You took out that Murkrow in one hit—honestly, I'm impressed. The training's already paying off. You're getting stronger every day… and we've only just begun."
Alex's eyes softened. Despite being transported to this world with no system, no magical powers, no guiding voice—nothing—he was genuinely happy. Having a Pokémon as loyal and powerful as Riolu by his side made everything worth it.
"Come on, let's get that bath," he said warmly.
Once they arrived at the lake, Alex gently guided Riolu into the water. He began rinsing off the blood, carefully scrubbing away the dark stains until Riolu's fur returned to its natural blue.
"I know you'll still smell a bit like blood," Alex said as he poured water over Riolu's head, "but at least you won't be drenched in it anymore."
He moved with care, making sure to clean every part of Riolu's body, eventually reaching his ears. As he gently washed them, he noticed the injuries.
"Riolu, you should eat more Oran Berries," he said, concern in his voice. "You're still not fully healed. Your ears are cut up, and that Murkrow's peck left a fresh wound on your chest."
Alex sighed softly. "You were amazing back there… but we'll need to take better care of you if we're going to keep getting stronger."
After their bath at the lake, Alex and Riolu made their way back to the spot where they had been training earlier.
"Alright, Riolu," Alex began as they arrived, "now that you've improved your Steel-type moves, I want you to focus on your Fighting-type abilities."
Riolu tilted his head slightly, listening attentively.
"You're already very talented with Metal Claw, but right now, you only have Force Palm representing your Fighting type. That's not enough—not if we're going to face tougher opponents later. So, here's the plan: you'll train your Fighting-type energy by working on Force Palm. Not just using it, but perfecting it."
Riolu clenched his paws with determination, ready for the next challenge.
"If you can master Force Palm—make it faster, stronger, more precise—you'll become much more powerful than you are now. This is just the beginning, Riolu. We've got a long road ahead, but I believe in you."
Alex stepped back, giving Riolu space to begin. "Let's start training. Show me what you've got."
Riolu would began training again, this time focusing on using his energy more efficiently so he wouldn't wear himself out as quickly. As he practiced, Alex observed him carefully and offered some advice.
"Riolu, your species can use aura, right?"
Riolu nodded firmly.
"Well, why not try using your aura as an attack? I mean, what if you expelled your aura outward—or even used it to reinforce your body? Imagine covering yourself in aura when you're about to be hit. That way, you could absorb the impact and take far less damage. What do you think?"
Riolu tilted his head, thinking it over.
"Give it a shot. Aura is your greatest strength. Not many Pokémon can use it the way you do, so let's make it your secret weapon. We'll set the Fighting-type training aside for now—just focus on your aura."
Riolu agreed, then sat cross-legged in the middle of the forest. He closed his eyes and began focusing, slowly channeling his aura around his body to enhance his strength and resilience. After about thirty minutes of focused meditation and control, he succeeded—his body now radiated a steady blue glow.
Alex's eyes widened in amazement. "Wow, Riolu… you really are a prodigy."
Just then, Riolu stood up and raised his paw, forming a glowing blue orb in front of it—Aura Sphere.
Alex could barely believe it. "You never cease to amaze me, Riolu."
"Now that you've learned Aura Sphere," Alex began, "I want you to focus on using it more efficiently. Try not to pour too much of your aura into a single attack. Your goal is to use the minimum amount of energy needed to create a well-sized, powerful Aura Sphere. Once you've mastered that, I want you to learn how to form more than one at a time. If you can launch multiple Aura Spheres, you'll overwhelm your opponents and create smoke and confusion—perfect for setting up a surprise attack."
Riolu nodded with determination and began training right away. He focused on refining his Aura Spheres, carefully controlling the amount of energy he used to avoid exhaustion. However, he quickly realized that training with aura was far more difficult than working on his physical attacks. The challenge began to wear on him, and frustration built up as progress slowed.
"Alright, alright, Riolu," Alex said, noticing riolu's growing stress. "Don't push yourself too hard. We've got plenty of time to keep training. Let's head back to the cave—it's getting dark. And if this forest is dangerous during the day, I can't imagine what comes out at night."
Riolu took a deep breath and nodded, following Alex back through the darkening woods.