AN: Note to self, do not make promises you can get new stories or new chapters out within a few days because life will find ways to stop you from upholding the end of your agreement.
Anyway, readers. Welcome to a companion fic to my Reunion with the Released fanfic, and this fanfic's going to be one of the more noticeable points of divergence in Journeys AU series for reasons that will become apparent soon enough.
So no time dawdling on the matter, let's hop to it.
1! 2! 3! Let's Go!
Disclaimer: Still not the owner of the Pokémon Franchise and anything in association with it in any form. If I did you would bet Pokémon that Ash bonded with, but didn't catch would have at some point joined the team officially. (Larvitar, maybe Latias, definitely that Hippopotas Ash saved from Butch and Charity, and Nebby just to list a few.)
At the Vermillion City Pokémon Center, Bea waited patiently for her Grapploct to finish getting healed after the tough win Lt. Surge's Electivire had given it so the Stow-On-Side Gym Leader could advance her ranking in the WCS.
Honestly Bea's not going to look a chance to grow stronger so she can dethrone Leon someday, but it did feel a tad convenient her Rotomphone went off just when she was about to get on her boat back to Galar after the lackluster battle in Celadon City that snobby twit Erika gave her.
The kimono girl shouldn't be picking fights she can't win if she and those skives she has employed at her Gym are going to get so salty over having their rank-smelling perfume they're trying to filch people into buying dumped on.
Bea pities whatever poor saps have tried getting a badge from that trollop given soon after belittling their Stunky spray, those skanks thought Bea had come to the Gym for a badge and they had to nerve to say she's not allowed in on account of the gym being for girls and she's not girly enough to be let in.
A good bum-kicking later, Bea strolled into the gym and made it a point to have her Machoke pulverize Erika's Vileplume to submission with Fire Punch. The Grass-Type Gym Leader was such a sorry excuse of a challenge Bea didn't even need to use her Starter Pokémon, Machamp to trounce her.
Honestly if Bea cared more and was the petty sort, she'd file a complaint with the League to let them know the sort of nonsense going down at Erika's Gym and the place would likely either wind up shut down or it's Gym Leader and the Trainers staff there would all be getting the sack.
Bea puts those thoughts out of her mind quickly though as Nurse Joy returns with an Ultra Ball on hand to give back to the Galarian Gym Leader, "Here you go, miss. Your Grapploct's back to full health."
Bea takes her Pokémon back then thanks Nurse Joy before turning to make her way out of the Pokémon Center to see if she can catch another boat to Galar sometime today.
Her Fighting-Types (with the exception of her Hawlucha) aren't big fans of taking a plane to get around the world so Bea has to travel by sea if she wants to get anywhere.
Bea's stopped from leaving though as Nurse Joy calls for her attention, so she turns and stares coolly at the Nurse whose face she like many have accepted is present at every Pokémon Center across the globe, "What is it?"
Nurse Joy gives Bea a look of consideration that lasts a while, before ultimately making her decision on the matter in regards to the Pokémon Egg she's been caring after for quite some time now that until today has shown no signs of activity or hatching.
At least until Bea came into the Pokémon Center.
"Would you be interested in taking care of a Pokémon egg I've been looking after. It's been inactive ever since it was first found at a daycare center back in Sinnoh, but all of a sudden it started reacting soon after you showed up." Nurse Joy explains as she has her Chansey bring the egg over.
Bea's gaze moves from the pinkette to the egg as with a glance she can already deduce what sort of Pokémon will come from the egg, "If it proves itself to have the drive to become a strong fighter when it hatches It'll be a welcome addition to my team. If not, I can find some Trainer in Galar to take care of it."
Nurse Joy seems a bit confused since that doesn't sound like a straight answer, but Bea quickly flashes a seldom smile and nods at her before letting Nurse Joy she'd be happy to take the egg off of her hands. Nurse Joy smiles back and notes the girl from Galar has quite the lovely smile and has a feeling this Pokémon she's entrusting to her will be happy having a Trainer like her to raise and care for it.
With the egg now entrusted to her Nurse Joy watches Bea leave believing it was destiny at work that finally saw the egg united with a Trainer that could help nudge the Pokémon inside to awaken.
The Pokémon Nurse would be completely unaware that it was only coincidence Bea happened to be at this Pokémon Center on this very day when a Trainer from Pallet Town was having a WCS battle alongside his Starter and Partner Pokémon, Pikachu whose clash with the opposing Trainer's Tauros was the actual reason the mysterious Pokémon egg had finally shown some activity.
So with one wave of divergence history and destiny start to change. Time to see what another one can do.
"Man, would have been nice to see what an actual Pokémon egg looks like. Don't you think so?" Gou tried asking Ash who seemed to be distracted with something in his mind ever since Ash's battle with that Hayden guy.
Gou doesn't know what has Ash so bothered, his Pikachu did spectacularly in that battle. Didn't suffer a single hit and was able to down the Wild Bull Pokémon after hitting it enough times with Iron Tail and Thunderbolt.
"I hear there's a Pokémon Day Care somewhere around Cerulean City, want to check it out to see if they have any Pokémon eggs they'd be willing to let us look at?" Gou asks only to again receive a distant nod from Ash who remains wrapped up inside his own head.
Gou looks to Pikachu hoping the Electric-Type can do something who sighs and nods before giving Ash's cheek a shock with his paw that finally pulls Ash from out of his thoughts.
"What?" Ash asked a touch annoyed Gou had Pikachu do that.
"What's with you? You've been thinking a lot since that battle and ignoring everything going on around us." Gou tells Ash a little concerned with his... friend.
"I haven't been ignoring everything." Ash defends himself glad that Gou cares, but not believing he was that inattentive.
"You nearly walked into a cabbage stand." Gou retorted as Pikachu gives his Trainer a deadpan look who thinks back on the walk from where they are now to his battle with Hayden and Ash vaguely recalls some old guy screaming about his cabbages, "I had to pull you away so you didn't crash into them and all you said was thanks before getting back into whatever you were thinking about."
Sounds familiar to Ash, but he thought the reason the cabbage vendor was screaming was because of the group of kids who ran by like they were being chased by something who demolished his cabbage stand in the wake of their charge.
Or was that something from a tv show Ash watched some time ago?
"So I'll ask again, is everything alright with you?" Gou enquires worried if he's pushing too far here and this'll just make Ash mad at him, and they'll have a fight, and Ash might not want to be his friend anymore and-
Gou shuts those anxiety inducing thoughts down hating that having a friend fills him with such unpleasant thoughts and feelings on what'll happen if he screws things up.
"Thanks for asking," Ash tells Gou making sigh internally with relief that he didn't make the wrong call here, "I just feel like something important was going to happen today and for whatever reason me and Pikachu missed out on it."
That Gou understands given how bummed out he had been a few years back when he turned 10 and his parents asked if he wanted to go to Pallet Town to get a Starter Pokémon and get going on his own journey. Back then Gou had still wanted Mew to be his Starter, but the other kids had teased him to no end about it.
The worst of the bunch had to be that jerk Damian who had gotten his Starter and came straight back to Vermillion City to show off the Charmander he had gotten while also bragging about having gotten to meet Professor Oak's grandson who came for his Starter too.
Damian had been pretty sure, he'd compete in the Indigo Conference and beat Gary Oak there.
The teasing and humiliation Damian and his flunkeys threw on Gou for missing out had made him sorely question his decision to wait until the day he could find Mew again.
The only consolation about it all was that a month later Damian came back to Vermillion City in a miserable state having apparently gotten his Trainer's License revoked after some Gym Leaders he met had reported him to the League for abusing his Charmander and nearly getting it killed by telling it to stay on a rock and wait for Damian to come back for it when a bad rainstorm was due to the happen soon and Damian himself had no intention of going back at all.
It's a relief that from what Gou heard some other Trainer had found the Charmander, saved it, and convinced it to give up on Damian as it's Trainer.
Though there were times back then where Gou wonders if Charmander could have avoided the experience of having Damian for a Trainer if Gou had just gone to Professor Oak's lab that day to get a Starter himself.
As lacking in confidence as he is, Gou's certain he would have done better with Charmander than Damian did.
Nowadays that jerk just skulks around the city, bummed out his Trainer career ended before it could even start and doesn't seem at all interested in moving past that and getting on with his life.
Which admittedly Gou can feel some sympathy for his former tormentor, but not enough to ever excuse what Damian did to his Starter Pokémon. That's unforgiveable no matter what anyone says.
"So, you missed out on something big happening today young man," An elderly voice calls pulling Gou from reminiscing about life a few years back, "Then perhaps this may be a case of where one door closes, another one opens."
Gou, Ash, and Pikachu look to see an elderly gentleman with silvery hair done up in a chonmage topknot that has Gou wondering if this guy thinks he's some sort of samurai. The piercing intensity his grey-blue eyes have as they scan Gou curiously for a moment before settling on Ash certainly supports that theory the fledgling Trainer has as the gent stands curiously outside the gate of the Cerise Laboratory.
The older fellow is dressed in of all things a black kimono with a dark belt around his waist, black socks worn under sandals with blue straps. The oddest part of his ensemble aside from the dark wooden cane he has in hand which doesn't appear like he needs it to get around, is the heavy-looking dark brown and dull gold coat he's wearing over his shoulders.
Honestly that and the fellow's incredibly intimidating aura that is in present in spite of the jovial demeanor he's giving off right now has Gou wondering what a yakuza wants with the Professor.
"Hi there! Are you here to see the Professor?" Ash asks cheerfully not at all scared by this old guy like Gou and a number of people walking by who've been giving him a wide berth.
"Yes and no actually." The elderly fellow clarifies getting a confused look from Ash as Goe hesitantly approaches, "I was here to speak with him so I could arrange a meeting with someone under his employ, but now I don't need to as that individual is here before."
"Oh, who is that?" Ash asks whilst Gou deadpans at him, not believing his research fellow can't figure it out given who the yakuza-looking old man is fixating on here.
This seems to draw a deep chuckle out of the old man though, "Professor Oak did tell me to expect this of you when he told me to speak with Professor Cerise if I wanted to meet you, but this is still something else. Perhaps we should head inside the laboratory rather than stand out here like my friend has done so when they rushed on ahead in the lab to see you, lad."
"Your friend knows me?" Ash asked trying to figure out who they are given this man looks like he's from Sinnoh. Or at least he gives the feeling of someone from his friend Dawn's home region.
'Who could it be though?' Ash wonders looking this guy over, something about him makes Ash think of Riley so perhaps that's who is here to see him.
Ash kind of hopes not. He's really not interested in any of that Aura stuff that might turn him into a Jedi or something like that, fearing committing too much into that Aura Guardian stuff will mean saving and protecting the world will become a full time job and stuff like going on journeys and chasing his dreams will be on the backburner.
I mean being able to speak telepathically with all Pokémon would be neat, but he kind of doesn't need that since he understands his own Pokémon well enough and they can translate for other Pokémon who he can't understand what they might be saying.
"I'd rather not spoil the surprise of telling you who it is." The man who looks to be Professor Oak's age teases as he crosses gate to Cerise Labs and makes his way towards the front door with Ash and Gou following along. The rookie Trainer starting to ease up around the geezer as he seems friendly enough despite the presence he gives off.
Though Gou figures this may mean they won't be going to the Pokémon Day Care to check out what eggs they've got.
As Gou, Ash, and the fellow who introduced himself as Kou drew close to the front door of the Professor's lab, they soon caught sight of Chloe at the doorstep watching her Yamper play chase with a Pokémon that Gou was unfamiliar.
A quick scan with his Rotomphone identified the blue canine Pokémon as Riolu the Emanation Pokémon, so with that done Gou turned to Ash to ask if this is the friend he knows that Kou was talking about only to see Ash frozen in place as he watches the Riolu keep his tail just out of reach of Yamper who was determined to catch the other canine by biting onto it's tail.
Though the Riolu soon abruptly turns and holds a paw out to Yamper to let it know they're game will have to stop for now as he turns and looks to the other 3 humans present.
That's not accurate though, Gou notes, it's only looking at one of them: Ash.
The Emanation Pokémon and Gou's research fellow exchange a look between the two of them has Gou wondering if they think an eternity is passing.
Ash clearly recognizes the Riolu if he's understanding that look of shock and surprise whilst as best Gou can guess the small blue and black canine seems nervous yet excited at the same time.
Kou has remained quiet this whole time watching his friend and new acquaintance's reaction to seeing each other again.
Chloe tried getting Ash's attention asking what's the deal with him and this Pokémon, but her question goes ignored so she pouts and looks to Gou who can only shrug as he has no ideal either.
Before Chloe can think to get up and nudge Ash out of whatever trance he and the Riolu are stuck in, Ash snaps out of himself and smiles before speaking, "I haven't seen you since Sinnoh, Riolu. Looks like you've been doing good. That red ribbon you've got on your arm looks cool."
Riolu beams ecstatic that Ash is happy to see him again as Pikachu scrambles down from his Trainer's shoulder to offer his own greetings to the Fighting-Type as his Trainer steps forward and crouches down to start chatting with Riolu. Chloe's Yamper joins in on the conversation not wanting to be left out having already taken a liking to Riolu as a fellow dog Pokémon in his mind.
Now that Ash pointed it out, Gou notes that the ribbon Riolu has on looks a bit... Bulky. Like Riolu is wearing it over something else.
Maybe some sort of band, Gou guesses by the shape that Riolu's ribbon is taking to hide it.
Any more time to contemplate that curiosity is taken from Gou as Ash introduces Riolu to him, referring to Gou as Ash's newest friend and hearing Ash call him that still makes Gou uncertain how to feel about that aside from warm in his chest that someone aside from Chloe thinks that given Ash's earnestness has him believing Ash isn't just saying that like other kid's his age who before have said they were friends with Gou only to either go back on their word or reveal it had actually just been to prank him horribly.
Putting those depressing thoughts out of his head, Gou tries to smile and be friendly with Riolu. Only for the Emanation Pokémon to give him a long indecipherable look as his red eyes look like they're boring through Gou before Riolu's expression changes and a look appears in his eyes that is hard for Gou to figure out before the canine starts warming up to him considerably.
Gou really doesn't know what to make of that weird exchange before Riolu started being friendly with him.
"So, you're not Riolu's Trainer actually?" Gou is the one to ask once the 3 kids and Pokémon, plus 1 adult step into the lab and explain the situation to Professor Cerise who soon has tea and an afternoon lunch prepared by Mimey with everyone soon moving to the Professor's office to occupy the couches and table there for this discussion.
"Indeed, I am not." Kou responds sipping from his tea and humming content with it, he'd have to compliment the young lad's Mr. Mime for this tea later as it is truly exquisite, "I am a friend of young Lucas's Trainer Kyle though and he asked me to be the one to carry out this wish of his."
"Lucas? Is that Riolu's nickname?" Chloe takes her turn to ask the next question noting the oddity of the nickname as Ash had referred to Riolu up until now by it's species name.
"Lucas was the name Riolu decided for himself a year or two back after that business with the poachers who'd abducted him from our lands." Kou elaborates while the other adults present wince hearing what the Riolu and his Trainer had to go through that.
"What exactly is this Kyle fellows wish exactly?" Professor Cerise ask next deciding to get to the heart of the matter on why Kou and Lucas are here.
"Kyle is an older fellow like myself. He is starting to get on in his years so he can't be as active as he'd want to be with Lucas so they can enjoy life together." Kou starts explaining as Lucas's expression turns downcast for a moment drawing sympathetic looks from Chloe, Chrysa, and Ren, "He still has a few years left in him just so you know, but it's his wish for Lucas to be happy and see the world as the only experience Riolu has had with the world beyond our home up until now was that unfortunate incident where he'd been abducted."
"But it was thanks to that whole affair that Lucas and Kyle have found someone they can trust to be his new Trainer now." Kou states his and Lucas's gaze going to Ash who blushes a bit and scratches the back of his head.
"I'm flattered you think that, but are you really sure I'm the best choice for Rio- Lucas-" "Yes, without a doubt." "Rio lu lu."
Chloe snorts seeing how quickly the old man and Pokémon were to jump on answering Ash's question.
"You've honestly been all Lucas has focused on outside of his training and tutelage as the kingdom's Inheritor." Kou says whilst everyone except Ash and Pikachu wonder what that Inheritor title is supposed to mean, "Myself and Kyle have enjoyed watching your televised battles with Lucas, which soon after they are over Lucas heads out to train and imitate what he's seen you and your Pokémon did."
Again, Ash is pretty flattered to know the Riolu he'd saved nearly 3 years ago had been cheering him on along with his Trainer and Kou here whenever Ash would be competing in televised tournaments.
"Though Lucas hasn't had much luck figuring out how to do that transformation your Greninja was able to do." Kou teased causing Lucas to fluster and bark at him annoyed he'd revealed that embarrassing story to Ash.
For a moment Pikachu tried picturing the little Riolu here transforming like Greninja can.
Red lightning bolt marks on his cheeks beneath the mask-like markings, those two sensors on his head getting spikier to look like Ash's hair, perhaps a yellow bar going horizontally across his chest to mimic Ash's Sinnoh jacket, maybe his fur turns a darker blue so the blue crest that kind of resembles a Pokéball vaguely that would appear above his brow would be more noticeable.
Would he have a big aura sphere on his back in that form?
Pikachu quickly shakes his head to get rid of that mental image and resolves that an Ash-Riolu Battle Bond Transformation would just be too strange to see happen. Let Greninja be the only one who does that weirdness.
"So, Ash..." Kou's tone turns serious as the Kanto Trainer meets his gaze sensing the time for joviality has passed, "Will you be young Lucas's new Trainer? This is what Kyle wants for Lucas and believes will allow him to be happiest."
"Is it really okay for me to take him though?" Ash responds unsure making Lucas worry for a moment if Ash may not want him, "I'd be thrilled to have Riol- Lucas join my team. Since meeting him back in Sinnoh all I wanted was to catch a Riolu of my own, but I never really sought one out. Guess I knew deep down there could only be one Riolu for me."
That is a relief and a joy for Lucas to hear after that moment ago the young Emanation Pokémon was worried this trip to Kanto might have been for nothing.
"Certainly in all the adventures I've been on that me, Pikachu, and a lot of my other Pokémon know just how powerful Riolu and Lucario can be." Ash followed up recalling his past losses and wins to the Emanation Pokémon's evolved form, "But doesn't Rio- Lucas still have responsibilities to his kingdom as it's defender?"
Hearing that Gou and Chloe seem a bit doubtful this little Riolu could defend an entire kingdom by itself, not unless it's like Pikachu and absurdly powerful for a Pokémon that hasn't reached it's final evolved form yet.
"You needn't concern yourself with that." Kou tells Ash wanting to put his worries to rest for Lucas's sake, "Our little kingdom has a number of other Riolu, Lucario, and other Pokémon with talent for wielding Aura unique to them from the rest of their species that can keep it safe whilst Lucas and you journey together. We ask only that Lucas and you come visit every once in a while so Kyle, myself, and the others back home can see how well young Lucas is doing under your care."
Gou and Chloe's unasked question about what Aura is goes unanswered as that puts what worries and doubts Ash has to rest at last, "Alright then."
With a nod to himself Ash smiles and turns to who feels those Butterfrees of nervousness and excitement well up in his chest again, "Well Lu- Lucas, sorry in my head you've been Riolu for so long now. I'll do my best to get your new name down." Ash says a bit embarrassed, some of his older Pokémon have been keen on getting nicknames like his newest ones and has a hard time getting their nicknames memorized in his head, "Welcome to the team buddy, me and Pikachu and everyone else is going to be glad to have you here with us."
When Ash goes to get a Pokéball from his backpack, Kou stops him by pulling out an odd looking Pokéball that's nearly completely red in color, "Here, a Cherish Ball as a gift from me to the two of you. Lucas here is a special Pokémon so in my opinion a special Pokéball is needed to commemorate this occasion."
Ash takes the Cherish Ball from Kou and holds it out to Lucas who with a grin, hops to his feet on the couch and smacks a paw on the capture button on the ball causing it to open and consume the Emanation Pokémon in a scarlet light before it closes and shakes once before letting out a ping! to let everyone Riolu's been caught without struggle.
Before Ash and Pikachu can celebrate the newest addition to their team and cause Gou and Chloe to cringe from how dorky their celebratory pose and cheer is, Riolu emerges from his ball and goes back to enjoying his tea as if all is normal getting a chuckle from the adults present whilst the kids and Pikachu sweatdrop.
If there's one thing Lucas learned from Kyle is to not allow a finely brewed tea to go cold as it's an insult to the brewer who made it, and while he's at it the newly caught Riolu will help himself to the sweets Mimey prepared as well for everyone.
In one history the Inheritor of Aura did not join the Aspiring Pokémon Master on his latest journey, feeling there may be no place for him amongst his Pokémon given on that day when he intended to approach his would-be Trainer, said youth had just caught a newly hatched Riolu.
In this history though that meeting did not happen as that newborn Riolu will once it's been hatched find his fate interweaved with a karate prodigy from Galar who'd have been his rival in a the other history, so now we see the world where the Inheritor and the Master journey together as one at long last.
All in thanks to the waves of divergence that have changed the path that history and fate have set for these youths of incredible potential.
In time we will see the ripples that will result from this deviation from the set course of destiny, but perhaps a glimpse of what lies ahead may be welcome.
Bea let's out a tsks in frustration as she sees her ranking in the World Coronation Series drop from 751 to 801 whilst the ranking her opponent, the boy her age with the Riolu stronger than her recently hatched one goes up from 890 to 820.
It likely would have climbed higher than that and may have even gone past Bea's now lowered ranking if his recently caught Galarian Farfetch'd had beaten her Hawlucha like his Riolu had to her Grapploct and the boy's third Pokémon had did to her Machamp.
With a sigh and a shake of her head, Bea doesn't let the loss get to her knowing she should take this win and use it as motivation and a learning lesson to grow stronger in the future, "Not bad. Guess I should expect as much from the Trainer of the 5 time P1 Grand Prix's Defending Champion."
What's really frustrating for Bea is how quickly this guy and his unusually well-composed Primeape got back in sync battling together despite having only reunited again after 5 years apart.
Or maybe it's that big radiant smile he's got one that makes Bea pissed off for some reason and want to deck him, "Your Pokémon were pretty impressive too. My Hawlucha would probably love meeting yours, and Farfetch'd will probably want a rematch sometime."
At least unlike when she lost to Raihan when she'd been aiming to take down Leon in the last Champion Cup, when this guy's complimenting her Pokémon and the training she's given them it sounds sincere since he's not posing for selfies and is actually looking at her when he's saying it. That chuffer.
"My Riolu could learn a few things from yours. We'll be battling again if you continue to commit to defeating Leon, so when that time comes let's have our two Riolus fight." Bea states noting how her newest Pokémon had seemed so intensely focus watching another member of his species beat Grapploct when he'd been struggling to do the same.
"Guess this makes us rivals then." He points out before offering his hand to Bea who stares at it curiously before taking it.
"Guess it does." Bea responds shaking his hand, distantly noting he's got an impressive grip so he must not be a wimp like his friend with the Raboot is.
"By the way, what was your name again?" Bea asks once she releases her rival's hand prompting an awkward chuckle to come out of him though Bea isn't sure why.
Names are only worth remembering after all if they're someone powerful Bea will have to take down someday.
"It's Ash. Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town." Her rival, Ash Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town tells her. Odd name.
"Bea Saitou. Remember it as the name of the only person allowed to defeat you in this World Coronation Series." Bea announces before making her departure from the Saffron City Fighting Dojo, her Riolu following after her.
Ash watches her go with a curious look, his gaze going from the girl from Galar to the newborn Pokémon she had with her. Ash wonders for a moment as his attention is solely focused on that Riolu's back as it shrinks the farther away it gets if that Pokémon was the source of that feeling Ash had missed out on the day Lucas joined his team.
'At least it seems that Riolu's happy and cared for with Bea,' Ash thinks to himself before turning back to Primeape to congratulate him again on the win he had earned today happy he'd run into him, Anthony, and Rebecca again prior to heading to the Fighting Dojo to face Bea.
The father and daughter pair of the Fighting Spirit Gym previously were in discussion with Primeape about how much more lively he seemed battling with his Trainer, the Pig Monkey understanding what they're going to say next given the rut Primeape's been since maintaining his Grand Prix title for the fifth time in a row.
They have a feeling Ash won't say no to the suggestion they have in mind for what to do with Primeape once they bring him into the conversation after the battle the two just had with that Bea girl.
AN: Done! Hoo boy, hopefully all of you enjoy this one and enjoyed the glimpse into a future story I've got planned I'm thinking of calling a Rivalry Retold.
Hope the attempt to improve on Gou's backstory prior to meeting Ash is taken well.
Though the main thing everyone will be focusing on is the different Riolu Ash has recieved.
I like Journeys Riolu/Lucario, but AS Riolu or Lucas as I'm nicknaming him (Which draws inspiration from the protagonist of Mother 3, not the male player character of the Gen 4 Sinnoh games) just always felt like that was the Riolu that was meant in my opinion.
It'd be like if they gave Ash a Larvitar that wasn't the one Ash reunited with his mom in the Johto series.
It wouldn't feel as right, ya know?
As for Bea I'm definitely planning to do more with her than the anime who seemingly is done with her now that Ash beat her. Was the bits of British slang she was tossing around tolerable for readers from the UK and the like?
Dipping my toes into that in case I ever plan on having Ash meet Angry Scottish Pokémon Trainer Gloria. (Or Sheila as I called my female player character in Pokémon Sword since it felt more Scottish and distinctive from Gloria the canon name that probably has a less crass personality.)
Anyway, the title for the next chapter to this story when I get around to writing it as I have a couple stories for this AU series overall already on my plate is: Return to Mt. Silver, the Second Son of Satoshi.
Everyone's cool with me using Ash's Japanese name on occasion for chapter or story titles even I'm not referring to him by that name?
Till next time, bye-onara!