Peter fell silent.
Now everything made sense.
Why this little one always traveled alone.
Why it never ate the food on the spot, always carrying it away instead.
Why, after all these days, it was still so small and frail.
"…Should I take you with me?"
Peter hesitated.
From a purely rational standpoint, this Buneary was an excellent choice.
Its move pool was rich.
Its aptitude—despite being suppressed—was still close to 300.
By all standards, it qualified as a strong starting partner.
But the Lopunny line excelled most in speed.
And yet, due to its Klutz ability, this Buneary was anything but agile—
its movements awkward, its reactions slow, its body seemingly out of sync with itself.
"Bune…"
As Peter wrestled with his thoughts, the Buneary murmured softly in its sleep.
It curled into a small ball and instinctively snuggled closer, pressing itself into Peter's chest.
Perhaps sensing his presence, its tense expression eased, tiny face rubbing gently against him before settling into a comfortable position.
Peter stared blankly at it.
Then… he smiled.
That feeling—
being relied upon.
It wasn't bad at all.
"Good night, Buneary…"
He gently stroked its soft fur and pulled the blanket over them both.
-----
Morning arrived.
Peter woke to a warm, ticklish sensation.
Opening his eyes, he was immediately met with a pair of bright, jet-black eyes.
"Bune~!"
The Buneary chirped happily, its pink tongue enthusiastically licking his cheek.
"Hahaha—hey! That tickles, stop!"
Peter laughed, lifting the little one up and wiping his face before looking at it more closely.
"Bune?"
The rabbit tilted its head, smiling out of habit, then stretched out its tiny paws.
"…Hungry, huh?"
Peter took out two Pokéblocks—
one focused on physical attack, the other on speed—and placed them into its hands.
"Bunee…"
Suddenly, the Buneary's mood sank.
Its ears drooped low, body slumping as sadness returned to its eyes.
"…You're thinking about your grandma, aren't you?"
"Bune…"
It nodded.
And somehow, Peter felt it understood him.
The sight stirred an old memory.
Once upon a time, a pink-haired girl had cried in his arms the same way—
missing her grandfather.
Peter gently rubbed the Buneary's head and spoke softly.
"Your grandma wouldn't want you to stop eating because of her."
Seeing that it was still downcast, he continued.
"You know… in the world created by Sinnoh's great deity, Pokémon don't truly disappear after death."
"Bune?"
Its ears snapped upright.
"It's true," Peter smiled.
He realized—he understood its question.
"There's a legend that both people and Pokémon who pass on are carried by the river of souls to another world. A place called the Spirit World."
"Bunee!"
The Buneary grew excited.
Peter stood up with it in his arms and pointed toward a distant, towering silhouette.
"See that? That's Mount Coronet—the highest peak in Sinnoh. Without real strength, no one can reach its summit."
"Bunee—!"
The Buneary jumped down, stomping its feet with determination.
Its ears balled into little fists as it swung them proudly, clearly declaring that it was strong.
Peter laughed softly.
"You're still far from it… At the very least, you'd have to defeat that first."
He released Miltank.
A powerful Gym-tier presence swept across the clearing.
The Buneary took one look—
—and instantly dove behind Peter, clutching his pant leg for dear life.
"Mo~"
Miltank noticed the fright and gently set down a bottle of MooMoo Milk.
The Buneary didn't move.
It finally understood how weak it was.
Sitting on the ground, it lowered its head, utterly dejected.
"…Do you want to become stronger?"
"Bune?"
Its ears lifted again.
Hope flickered in those eyes.
Peter took out a Luxury Ball and placed it in front of the little rabbit.
"I want to be your partner.
It might sound strange, but… I really like you.
Even if you're a little clumsy.
Still, I believe that with effort, we can help each other achieve our goals."
"Bunee…"
The Buneary looked conflicted.
Peter continued gently.
"Maybe I could find a 'better' choice in this forest.
But to me, your independence, your kindness, your strength of heart—
those are things no other Buneary here has."
He smiled faintly.
"I once lived alone for a long, long time too…
until someone brought me home."
He looked down at it.
"Now, I want to bring you home.
Will you come with me?"
The Buneary stared up at him.
Stars shimmered in its dark eyes, tears welling at the corners.
"Bunee!"
With a decisive nod, it pressed its paw onto the Luxury Ball.
A red beam of light enveloped it—
Click.
Whirr—beep!
Ding!
The ball stilled.
Peter stood frozen.
A surreal wave of fulfillment surged through him—
something he had dreamed of his entire life.
He bent down, lifted the Luxury Ball high, and shouted with all his heart:
"Pokémon—GET DAZE!!"
Countless childhood shouts before the TV.
Endless adventures on handheld consoles.
Tear-filled eyes whenever this melody played.
All of it—
led to this moment.
Even after living in this world for years, truly having his own Pokémon still felt unreal.
[Ding! Main quest 'Set Out on Your Journey' completed.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have taken a solid step toward becoming a Pokémon Master.]
[Beginner Gift Pack acquired.]
[Ding! Buneary acknowledges the Host.]
[Master Points +5]
Peter exhaled slowly, staring at the still-warm Luxury Ball in his hand.
This life—
he would fulfill his dream.
[Ding! Beginner Gift Pack opened.]
[Pokémon Language Mastery Skill Book obtained.]
[Master Dream Box obtained.]
[Pokémon Training System unlocked.]
Pokémon Language Mastery Skill Book:
Grants fluency in all regional Pokémon dialects. After use, the host may communicate verbally with any Pokémon.
With convincing acting, Pokémon may even mistake the host for an oddly shaped relative.
Master Dream Box:
Allows the host to enter a dream-space with Pokémon for simulated battles and special training, continuously improving both trainer and partner.
Peter's eyes lit up.
A true Master Training System indeed—
it didn't just strengthen Pokémon, but the trainer himself.
He used the skill book without hesitation.
Then, with anticipation, he opened the Pokémon interface.
"Let's see… what kind of future we'll build together."