Luna looked up at Caleb, surprise flashing in her eyes, "You fought it alone?"
Caleb nodded, then paused before adding, "Before coming here, Dragonite and I flew over the island to survey it. I divided it into four regions based on terrain: east, west, south, and north."
"...The eastern area is where Mamoswine was. It was the only Dynamax Pokémon there. The western region is here, which is Butterfree's territory... and similarly, it's the only one that can Gigantamax. That just leaves the Gigantamax Pokémon in the southern and northern regions unaccounted for."
Luna took a deep breath after hearing this, her eyes filled with a look of reverence usually reserved for seasoned experts.
Just as Caleb thought she might kneel and cling to his leg, Luna instead fixed him with a serious stare and said, "So... you already knew everything I just said, didn't you?"
Caleb was slightly confused but nodded anyway.
Luna recalled the smug tone she'd used while delivering her earlier deductions, then clutched her head in frustration, "Aaaah! Why didn't you say so earlier?! I feel like such a clown right now... This is so embarrassing!"
Caleb didn't quite follow her train of thought and asked, puzzled, "Is it really that embarrassing? Your deductions were spot-on. They matched what I had figured out."
Still flushed with humiliation, Luna nodded emphatically, "That's not the point! Ugh, I'm never showing off in front of experts again. You guys probably just watch us newbies flail around like we're so clever..."
Caleb corrected her, "I'm not an expert. I'm a newbie too."
Luna immediately shot him a look that said, 'Yeah, right...'
At that moment, a splashing sound came from outside. Caleb and Luna turned to see Pachirisu dragging an injured Pokémon into the cave.
When Luna got a clear look at the Pokémon, her eyes lit up with excitement, "A Riolu!"
The Riolu was drenched, its head drooping weakly. Its arm was held by Pachirisu as it limped along behind with its head bowed. Riolu stood there awkwardly, radiating an air of utter exhaustion.
"It looks hurt..." Luna noted hesitantly, observing Riolu's poor condition.
Caleb instantly understood what had happened. His heart grew heavy.
"Wuu..."
Dragonite let out a concerned cry, causing Riolu to tense up, its small fists clenching nervously.
Luna glanced between Riolu and Caleb, whose expression had darkened, and asked in disbelief, "It came looking for you?"
Caleb nodded. He walked over and took Riolu from Pachirisu, carefully examining its injuries.
A clear bite mark marred its right leg, likely from a serpentine Pokémon. Fortunately, the wound showed no signs of poisoning.
He exhaled imperceptibly in relief and began healing Riolu with his Viridian Power. Riolu remained rigid throughout, not daring to move a muscle.
Luna sensed something odd about the situation. After studying Riolu's expression, she hesitated before asking, "What's going on?"
Caleb kept it brief, "It followed me all the way here from the eastern region."
The Pokémon Dragonite had mentioned earlier must have been Riolu.
Luna immediately understood and exclaimed, "It wants to be your Pokémon!"
Caleb nodded.
Luna pressed, "Then why not catch it? I don't think any guy could resist a cool Pokémon like Riolu, a potential Lucario. Don't you like it?"
Caleb shook his head. After a brief silence, he admitted, "I don't have any Poké Balls. So there's no way to take Riolu out of this Instance."
Luna finally remembered that the survival-themed Scenario forbade players from bringing any items.
She mulled it over, grasping Caleb's dilemma, and sighed sympathetically at Riolu, "Watching you two like this is painful. But I think you should explain the situation to it. Even though the Infinite World doesn't allow players to reveal Instance details to human NPCs, that rule doesn't apply to Pokémon. Otherwise, Riolu might think you hate it and end up depressed."
By now, the wound on Riolu's leg had mostly healed.
It had also heard Luna's words. Though Riolu didn't understand terms like "Instance" or "player", it grasped that Caleb didn't dislike it... he just couldn't take it away for some reason.
Caleb agreed with Luna's advice...
Reflecting on his earlier cold-shoulder approach, he lifted the small Riolu to face him and communicated through the ViridianPower, "Little one, I don't dislike you. In fact, I like you very much."
Riolu listened in silence.
Caleb sensed its happiness and continued, "But I'm not from this world. You might not understand what I mean, but I'll be leaving this island soon. Due to certain circumstances, I can't take you with me. Once I'm gone, I don't even know if I'll ever be able to return to this world... or if I can come back for you..."
Before he could finish, Riolu interrupted. Its tone was firm and resolute:
>...I can wait for you to return...<
Caleb froze, frowning slightly. He patiently explained, "No, what I mean is... I might never come back to this world. You could be waiting forever."
Riolu didn't fully comprehend, but it stubbornly repeated:
>...I will wait here for you...<
Caleb: "..."
He didn't know how to respond. The last thing he wanted was for Riolu to end up like Hachikō, growing old and dying in futile waiting.
Feeling Riolu's unwavering determination, Caleb sighed in resignation. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "Why are you so set on leaving with me?"
At this, Riolu recalled that night... how this human had stumbled off Dragonite's back in a desperate rush to save it.
If not for Caleb, it might have been killed by that gigantic creature.
"Alright." Sensing Riolu's thoughts veering off track, Caleb grew even more exasperated.
Pressing his lips together, he suddenly asked, "What if I never come back? What will you do?"
Riolu: >...I will keep waiting...<
Caleb: "And if you wait forever?"
Riolu didn't answer, but Caleb saw the answer in its stubborn gaze. It was clear that Riolu would wait indefinitely...
Caleb: "..."
Finally, he asked one last question, "Aren't you afraid?"
Riolu silently shook its head.
Caleb fell quiet as well. His mind raced, weighing the pros and cons before he finally exhaled and met Riolu's eyes. Word by word, he vowed, "Then I promise... I'll do everything in my power to return for you."
If Riolu wasn't afraid, why should he hesitate?
Even across countless Instance worlds, even with odds of one in ten thousand, someday he would find his way back...
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Read ahead on my P@treon...
[email protected]/MayaMatengele01