In the Footage—
The Galarian Farfetch'd, having taken the full force of the Feint and the preceding Mach Punch, was violently knocked back! He fell heavily onto the pavement of the bridge, the impact echoing through the quieted crowd.
Yet, despite the sheer force of the blow, the duck's grip remained absolute; he did not let go of the massive leek in his wing.
Riolu, though small and appearing "cute" to the uninitiated, had been undergoing rigorous Aura-based training with Ash.
His physical strength was already far beyond that of a standard Riolu! Under the pressure of such a coordinated double attack, a typical Pokémon would have been unable to stand. However…
"Gaa… Cloth!"
The dark gray duck slowly began to lever itself off the ground, using the giant leek as a crutch. It was a painful, trembling movement, but his eyes remained locked on his opponent. He stood up!
"Such incredible perseverance…" Ash whispered, his own heart starting to race.
"GABU!!"
With a defiant shout, the Farfetch'd hoisted his heavy weapon and lunged at Riolu once more! Despite being scarred and exhausted, he was somehow faster than at the start of the match!
It was a burst of speed so sudden that Riolu barely had time to brace himself before the duck was in his face. The long green leek emitted a sharp, crimson light as it swept through the air.
Whack!
It caught Riolu mid-dodge, sending the blue pup flying backward! The Farfetch'd had followed up with a Brutal Swing, though Riolu's Fighting-type resistance kept him from being knocked out instantly.
"Wait a second," Ash muttered, scratching his head. "The Pokédex says this Farfetch'd is a Fighting-type warrior… so why are all his moves Dark-type? Night Slash, Brutal Swing… is he a traitor to his own typing?"
Theoretically, the Dark-type is the sworn rival of the Fighting-type, yet this duck seemed to have mastered the "dirty" arts of the shadows.
"Riolu, let's end this with the move we practiced! Sonic Fist!"
"LEO!"
Having tumbled to the ground, Riolu arched his back and sprang upward in a single fluid motion. He had taken two hits—one critical Night Slash and one Brutal Swing—but he had spent his life training under the literal "Divine" pressure of Ash's past journeys.
Did anyone truly think Riolu's daily sparring sessions were just for show?
On the other side, Farfetch'd was panting heavily, his chest heaving as he struggled to keep his balance. This was the final exchange! Riolu blurred forward with a brisk step, his paw glowing with a vibrant orange-red light.
POW!
The Mach Punch connected squarely, knocking the Farfetch'd back again! But as the dust settled, the duck was still trying to prop himself up with his leek.
He refused to lie flat. This scene triggered a vivid memory in Ash's mind—a memory of his original Taillow.
That Taillow had been exactly like this: a "comeback king" who simply refused to stay down. Every time you thought he was finished, he would find a new well of strength.
"... Farfetch'd! Come on! Stand up! You can do it!" Ash roared.
Riolu: …???
Pikachu: ???
Chloe: ???
Not again! Not again! The crowd was thinking the same thing. Ash was doing his "chaos" routine again! He was in the middle of a sanctioned World Coronation Series battle, and he was actively cheering for the opponent to get back up and beat his own Pokémon!
Riolu looked back at Ash with a face of pure confusion, his paws still glowing with Aura.
"Oh… Hehe, sorry!" Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I just saw his fighting spirit, and it reminded me so much of Taillow, I couldn't help myself! But it's fine! Come on, everyone! Riolu, you keep going too!"
Classic Ash. Only he could turn a serious duel into a double-sided pep rally. Under Ash's rousing shouts, the Farfetch'd managed to find his footing one last time.
Riolu tensed, waiting for the next strike. But after a few seconds of silence, the duck remained perfectly still, clutching his leek like a statue.
Riolu stepped forward cautiously and realized the truth… the Farfetch'd had fainted while standing up! His consciousness had departed, but his warrior's spirit kept his body upright.
Seeing this, Ash quickly scooped up the brave duck and sprinted toward the Pokémon Center.
[Bruno: Losing consciousness while remaining standing… that is the soul of a true martial artist! This Farfetch'd has an incredible fighting spirit!]
[Marshal: I agree. It is very chivalrous. I'm bullish on this duck's potential!]
[Leon: I feel like this Farfetch'd is a perfect match for Ash. Ash even compared him to his Taillow. It seems certain now that this warrior will join Ash's team!]
[Bea: A Galarian Farfetch'd… Ash is building quite the Fighting-type roster. And remember, the Galar form is special. There are legends that they can evolve into a form resembling the ancient Sword and Shield heroes… though no one in modern Galar has seen it yet.]
[Korrina: If anyone can make a legend come true, it's Ash. I bet we're about to see the world's first Sirfetch'd in this footage!]
In the Footage—
After tens of minutes at the Pokémon Center, the Farfetch'd was fully restored. As the sun began to set, casting long golden shadows over Wyndon, Ash stood before the duck and asked him to join his journey.
The Farfetch'd closed his eyes proudly, playing it cool, but his wings were honest. He gave a sharp nod to Ash, indicating his agreement.
He didn't choose Ash because he lost the battle. He chose Ash because, in the heat of the fight, this human had recognized his heart and cheered for him even as an enemy. That shout was the bond.
Thus, Ash subdued his first partner in Galar!
The inventory continued, showing the passage of time. Ash and Chloe returned to Vermilion City. While Ash focused on nurturing his new team—including Farfetch'd, Gengar, Dragonite, and Riolu—Chloe was busy caring for her Feebas.
To evolve a Feebas, one usually needs Prism Scales or a massive boost in self-confidence and beauty. Chloe spent every day tending to it, even making her Yamper jealous of the attention the fish was getting.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket added a new "member"—a hungry little Morpeko from Galar! This made Marnie's eyes sparkle in the bulletin. Team Rocket has good taste! After all, she had a Morpeko too.
Ash began his climb through the Super Class of the World Coronation Series. The opponents here were far stronger than in the Normal Class; they were Gym Leader-level trainers.
If Ash used Pikachu or Sceptile, he could win easily, but he was currently "addicted" to training his new recruits. Because they were relatively new to him, the battles were always close shaves.
However, the rapid combat was forcing Riolu and Farfetch'd to grow at an astronomical rate! Riolu had even learned several new martial arts techniques, and Farfetch'd was mastering high-level slashing moves.
But then there was Pikachu…
"Riolu, use Feint, then follow up with Low Kick!"
"LEO!"
Riolu's figure blurred and vanished, reappearing instantly beneath a massive Snorlax. He aimed for the Snorlax's center of gravity and delivered a powerful kick!
BOOM!
The Snorlax's balance shattered, and it collapsed into the dirt, creating a massive cloud of dust. When it cleared, the Snorlax had swirly eyes. Another win for Ash! After a friendly handshake, Ash picked up Riolu. "Haha, you've been doing great lately, Riolu!"
"Leo~" Riolu blushed, leaning into the praise.
Pikachu, standing at Ash's feet, tugged at his pant leg. He pointed at himself, his cheeks sparking. When is it my turn?
"Pikachu, you want to fight too?"
"Pikapi!"
"Hmm… let's let Riolu handle the next few! He and Farfetch'd are on a roll!"
Ash figured Pikachu already had "max-level" experience. He wanted to save the Super Class matches to train the "newbies," so they wouldn't be dead weight when he reached the Hyper Class.
But Pikachu didn't see the big picture. He just saw Riolu and Farfetch'd getting all the action while he sat on the sidelines "fishing" (slang for 'slacking off'). Even though slacking off was fun, he wanted to battle!
Pikachu puffed out his cheeks and looked at Ash with an imposing glare, but Ash had already walked off with Riolu in his arms.
Over the next few days, Pikachu's frustration reached its boiling point. Ash was so focused on the tournament that he completely missed his partner's mood.
Finally, the day Ash's mother, Delia, visited Vermilion City and then left, the dam broke.
Delia had provided some comfort, even letting Pikachu sleep with her, but the moment she left and Ash went right back to training Riolu, Pikachu snapped.
He decided he was done. He was going back to Pallet Town to live with Delia!
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