Chapter 62: VS. Staraptor! "image removed"
The Egg continued to glow in Hiro's lap as the shell of the Egg materialized into the Pokemon's body. As for the body, it expanded into a small, humanoid-like dog shape. As the body grew, the glowing dimmed down completely, revealing a small, blue, dog-like Pokemon. Its legs and torso were colored black and its tail was large and blue. Around the Pokemon's neck was a pale yellow collar. On the newly born Pokemon's forepaws were pearly white, rounded bumps. Lastly, the Pokemon's face had a black mask with two black drooping ears, two pointed ears on the top of its head, and red eyes. It appeared that its nose was running, but by no means was it sick.
Dawn beamed bright as she ran over to greet it, "Oh my gosh! A Riolu? It's so cute! Look at its nose! Its nose is running! What are you going to name it, Diamond?"
The Riolu looked up at Dawn and sniffed the liquid back into its nose before looking back to Diamond, "Rio?" It appeared to want to know what it would be called by from now on.
Diamond thought it over for a split second and then said the first thing that came to his head, "Ronny. I'll name him Ronny because he appears to have a runny nose, but I like the way Ronny sounds more than Runny." He nodded and stood up, causing Ronny to hop off his lap, and stand on his own.
The Riolu curiously looked over at Pearl and Rowan before hiding behind Diamond again, wrapping its arms around its trainer's pant leg. Diamond looked down at Ronny and smiled, knowing this tendency from a certain Pokemon.
"Ha. Sam used to do that a lot. He was kind of shy at first, but what a difference a year makes. You should have seen him beat down on Cyrus's Absol, Pearl. I've never seen Sam do a Fury Cutter so fiercely."
Pearl folded his arms as he sat up in the wheel chair, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't get cocky Diamond. We still have to have our rematch once all this settles down."
"If it ever does." Dawn chimed in.
Rowan stood up and interrupted the excitement over the newly hatched Riolu, "Alright you three. Go to Lake Verity and relax. Catch up with one another for a change. I'll see you all tomorrow bright and early."
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"Ah... where it all started." Pearl said as he wheeled his way through the forest, leading Diamond and Dawn to Verity Lakefront, "Man, can you guys believe it's been almost a year?"
Diamond chuckled and said, "Yeah, but I remember it being much warmer than it is now. Maybe that's just the aftershock of Mt. Coronet. I didn't even realize how it cold it was at Mt. Coronet." He looked down at Ronny was walking closely beside him, nose still running uncontrollably, "I wonder what's causing Ronny's nose to keep on running like that. Doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon. Maybe I should give him some medicine."
Dawn smiled as she squatted down, rubbing Ronny behind the ears, "Aww, but it's so cute, Diamond. I think it makes him unique. But if you're looking for a reason, I think exposing his Egg to the coldness of Mt. Coronet is what caused him to have this... sickness I guess. But he doesn't look sick."
Ronny sniffed a bit, looking at Dawn lazily.
"Maybe you should expose Ronny to Sam a bit. They both seem like the same Pokemon: shy and timid." Pearl shrugged as he looked at Diamond.
Diamond reached into his pocket, silently agreeing. He pressed the pressure sensor on Sam's Pokeball as the Gallade was released from its Poke Ball. Sam looked around before looking down at Ronny. Of course, Ronny was new to Sam, so it was kind of uncomfortable inviting a new Pokemon into Diamond's party. Ronny looked up at Sam and stepped away from Diamond to approach the Gallade. Sam extended a hand to shake up with Ronny, causing the Riolu to observe his hand.
Not knowing this globalized form of greeting one another, Ronny extended his paw slowly... and quickly punched Sam in the gut. The speed of punch was so quick, the Rowan Trio barely saw it. Ronny stood confused, his left paw shimmering like steel. Apparently, Ronny thought Sam was challenging him to a friendly spar. Sam held his gut, alarmed at the natural born strength of the Riolu.
Pearl snorted, "I take that back, Ronny is NOT like Sam. Sam would have never done that when he was a Ralts. What attack was that anyway, Diamond?"
Diamond observed his Pokedex as the encyclopedia scanned Riolu's body, "I dunno Pearl, but Sam looks kinda... hurt by that attack." The Pokedex completed its analysis as a large amount of information about Ronny appeared on the screen, "Says here Ronny was thoroughly bred and has... five Egg moves!? Cross Chop, Vacuum Wave, Iron Defense, Sky Uppercut, and that last attack, Bullet Punch. Uhh... wow. Thanks Dad." Diamond chuckled.
Pearl was not amused, "Hmph. Whatever, dude." Obviously, he was jealous.
"Quit being envious, Pearl. Just because your brother and father haven't given you an Egg doesn't mean you should be bitter to Dia." Dawn chimed in for Diamond.
"Oh come on Dawn
Platina. Everybody in the world knows you're only taking up for Diamond because you like him." Pearl teased, wagging his finger back in forward.
Dawn blushed furiously as an angered expression appeared on her face, "No I don't, Pearl! If your legs weren't frozen, I'd paralyze them!" She ran towards Pearl to attack him, but was interrupted by Diamond who had apparently walked off amidst Pearl and Dawn's conversation. Lucky for Dawn, Diamond had not overheard what Pearl said.
"Hey guys come here!" Diamond shouted as Dawn and Pearl went over to see what all the commotion was about. Diamond pointed to the section of the grass where he and Pearl had found Rowan's bag.
"You stop an argument to show us some grass? What the hell, Dia?" Pearl pouted, enjoying his argument with Dawn.
"It was the only way to get you two to shut up. I couldn't think up of anything for a change." Diamond shrugged and smiled, "Besides, I think we should past time by reenacting our whole meeting. The time we all first met, y'know?"
Pearl exhaled, looking over to Sam and Ronny who were currently having a friendly sparring. It was as if the two Pokemon had immediately connected after their brief greeting. Ronny was mimicking Sam, whom was doing a bit of Yoga. While doing this, blue energy began to shroud Ronny's paws. When the Riolu thrusted its paws forward, the pieces of energy fired at a nearby section of trees, startling the native Pokemon.
Dawn sat over by the lakeside as Diamond and Pearl prepared themselves to 'discover' Trident and Gaia's Poke Balls. Just as Diamond reached down to grab the Empoleon's Poke Ball, a giant Staraptor came swarming out of the trees. It appeared that when Ronny fired off the energy sphere, it disturbed Staraptor's slumber. The Predator Pokemon swooped down towards Ronny and clenched its talons onto Ronny's shoulders, lifting the Riolu high into the air and taking off into the forest.
"Ronny!" Diamond shouted as he watched Staraptor fly off. He reached into his pocket, took out Pilot's Poke Ball, and released the Yanmega. Pilot wrapped its legs around Diamond's upper body, lifted the boy up into the air, and flew after the crazed Staraptor.
Dawn watched Diamond fly off as she looked to Pearl, "Sorry, Pearl, gotta help Dia. Let's go Aves, Peep!" Dawn released her Staravia and Drifblim as she pursued behind Diamond.
Pearl groaned as he watch Dawn leave him, "Who's gonna wheel me around! Ugh, you guys get all the fun!"
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Staraptor weaved through the forest, dodging trees and whatnot. Ronny attempted to fight his way out of Staraptor's talons, but it was of no use and the little Riolu was losing energy. Fortunately for Ronny, Diamond and Pilot were hot on their tail and ready to heat seek. By now, Diamond was on top of Pilot's back, "Bug Buzz!'
The Yanmega flapped its wings repeatedly as a lime green sound wave boomed towards Staraptor's back, knocking the Predator Pokemon off balance and slowly collappsing to the ground. It then dropped Ronny from a high distance in the air, sending the Riolu spiraling from the canopy. Out of nowhere, Aves swooped in and saved Ronny, just in time before the Riolu hit the tree. As Ronny clung on to Aves' feather, the Staravia slowly began to glow, its body expanding out as it evolved.
Dawn finally appeared on the scene aboard her Drifblim, watching Aves evolve, "Aves!"
Diamond shielded his eyes from the brightness and the sunlight, "Hey, Aves is evolving! Heh, fitting he would evolve in the same area you captured him!"
Oncw Aves stopped glowing, there in his place was a large Staraptor. Aves swooped down, landing near Diamond as Ronny jumped off of the Staraptor's back and ran over to Diamond, hugging his leg. Diamond grinned and rubbed Ronny's head.
"Good to have you back, Ron." Diamond nodded.
The once threaten Staraptor seemed to want to battle against Aves. By no means was Aves about to backdown either. The wild Staraptor swooped and quickly glided down towards Aves using an impressive Aerial Ace attack. Wind began to disperse around the wild Staraptor as it struck its beak into Aves' breast. Aves sent back into a nearby tree's bark. Diamond looked over at Dawn, tempted to get in the action.
Dawn kept her poise and remained aplomb as she said, "Aves. It's time to work out that attack you weren't able to successfully accomplish as a Staravia!"
Aves got himself up as he flapped his large brown wings. The wild Staraptor was gearing up for another Aerial Ace as Dawn smirked.
"Brave Bird!"
Aves flew up high into the, being followed by the wild Staraptor as both Predator Pokemon flew above the canopies. However, Aves wing-strength allowed him to fly much higher than the wild Staraptor. Once Aves reached his altitude peak, his body began to become engulfed in red flames like an incoming comet from space. Finally, Aves swarmed down at the wild Staraptor, the flames disintegrating into blue flames. Aves had a fierce expression on his face as he quickly neared the opposing Staraptor. Finally, Aves completed the attack by applying a full on take down with his wings spread against the wild Staraptor, sending it flying unwillfully miles and miles away. Once complete, Aves flew back down to where everyone else was and landed beside Dawn. The Brave Bird attack took a lot out of the Staraptor.
Dawn smiled and rubbed her newly evolved Pokemon on the head, "Good job Aves."
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"Ugh! I hate you guys and all your new Pokemon." Pearl joked as he said this in a whiny tone.
Diamond smiled, while Ronny wiped his nose with his paw, "Well Pearl, you'll have time to train when we leave tomorrow."
Pearl sighed and said, "Yeah... I guess so..."
Dawn felt sorry for Pearl, and wanted to do something for him, "Pearl... how about training Aves a bit more while Diamond and I are gone?" She nodded.
"You mean like a trade? What Pokemon of mines do you want?" Pearl smiled now.
"Your Happiny."
"Penny? But... she's... uh.."
"What? Has Pearl grown attached to a feminine Pokemon? Hmmm?" Pearl joked as Diamond chuckled.
"Nuh uh! C'mon let's get this trade going!"
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The next day, after Pearl traded his Happiny, Penny, for Dawn's Staraptor, Aves, Professor Rowan as well as all the inhabitants of Twinleaf Town, and unfortunately Pearl, stood at the gates of Twinleaf Town as they watched Diamond and Dawn ready for their departure. Rowan nodded to them and said, "I know you have only been home for a short time, but it necessary to send you two out again. Mt. Coronet is currently in the process of being invaded by Neo Team Rocket. From my understanding, Team Galactic has not threatened Mt. Coronet as of yet, but be on the look out from them as well. I speak on behalf of your fellow hometown people when I saw, 'We are proud of you and we believe in you. We salute you.'"
The people Twinleaf cheered and hollered for Diamond and Dawn. Diamond bit his lip as he looked to his house near the gates. There, his mother stood waving at him, but he wondered where his father was. He was home the last time he left for the snow route and Snowpoint City.
Dawn waved to the people as well as she took out Peep's Pokeball and released the Drifblim. She climbed aboard the bigger than average Pokemon as it floated up into the sky. Not too far behind Dawn was Diamond flying on his Yanmega, Pilot. They had a long journey ahead of them and this was just the beginning.
Pearl looked up from his wheel chair, for once a serious expression on his face. He was saddened that he was unable to make the journey with Diamond and Dawn. He whispered to himself as he watched Diamond and Dawn disappear into the cyan blue skies filled with gray clouds of snowfall, "Good luck guys. I promise... I promise I'll catch up to you when I'm able to walk..."
End of Volume 5
Preview of Volume 6:
NOTICE: I have updated the trainer cards (forgot that Pearl's Finneon had evolved a while ago, ha) and I've added a new picture to reflect their current wintry outfits.