Pokémon: My Name is Lucario

Chapter 15: The Past of This Forest

Seeing Riolu's swollen right arm, the Budews awkwardly stopped basking in the moonlight.

The few Pokémon leisurely turned around, their heads hanging low, and began walking back with a bit of shame.

By the time they reached the valley entrance, the sky had just begun to lighten, the faint morning light casting its glow on the figure of the Vileplume, who was up and about.

"Oh no."

The Budews, who were walking beside Riolu, froze and nervously hid behind him, shaking in fear.

"I've told you so many times, the forest has been dangerous lately. Why don't you listen?" Vileplume marched up to Riolu, grabbed the Budews by their leaves, and pulled them from behind him.

And thus began a lengthy and monotonous lecture, akin to a monk's chanting.

Starring: Vileplume, Supporting Role: Budew, Audience: Riolu.

"…You will go back and reflect on your actions," Vileplume said, her large petals emitting a subtle but unmistakable scent of toxic pollen.

The Budews walked back to the valley in dejection, and Vileplume stopped Riolu, who was about to follow.

"Sigh," Vileplume sighed, her body glowing with a soft green light. As the light expanded, it caused the ground to come to life, and lush green grass began to sprout rapidly around Riolu, filling the air with a revitalizing energy.

A sweet, fragrant scent filled Riolu's nostrils, making him involuntarily relax and feel a sense of comfort.

When Riolu came to, he realized that his previously broken arm had healed completely, and the swelling caused by the bruise had slowly disappeared under the effects of this life-giving energy.

Vileplume clapped her hands, dissipating the Grass Terrain skill, which had healed the group of Pokémon.

"Alright, your injury's healed, but you'll still need some rest to recover fully," she said, gently patting Riolu on the head.

How did Vileplume reach Riolu's head, you ask? Well, Vileplume stands at 1.2 meters, taller than Riolu.

Riolu felt a bit embarrassed, scratching his head and offering a sheepish smile without saying anything.

"But how did you end up going with these troublemakers? And you, a fighting-type, don't even take care of your body. You're still young. Even though I can heal your injuries, constant wounds will leave hidden dangers. You should learn from Machop on how to protect yourself during battles," Vileplume couldn't help but keep lecturing.

"Yeah, yeah," Riolu nodded repeatedly, knowing that the lecture was given out of genuine concern. However, he couldn't help but ask the question that had been on his mind.

"Sis Vileplume, why did you say the forest has been dangerous lately? Has something happened?"

Vileplume paused mid-sentence, as if contemplating whether or not to answer, before she began talking about something else entirely.

"Although I healed you, there is a price to be paid. Otherwise, you'll get used to injuring yourself and not care about protecting your body."

"Alright, alright, no problem," Riolu quickly agreed. As is well known, never offend the healers—nothing worse than angering the one who heals you.

"Since that's the case, come with me to a place," Vileplume said with a slight smile at Riolu's antics.

The two Pokémon walked through the thick grass until they arrived at a spot full of vibrant flowers.

"Here."

Vileplume handed Riolu a small bottle, then released a flow of green energy. The energy intertwined with the flowers around them, and slowly, golden, sticky liquid began to form and drip from the blossoms.

The sweet fragrance reached Riolu's nose, making his eyes light up.

"Is this… Pokémon Honey?" he asked, his mouth watering. The last time Vileplume had given him a small bottle of the honey as a gift, and Riolu couldn't resist finishing it off. Thinking of the sweet honey paired with the bread-like taste of Breadfruit made him feel incredibly hungry.

Vileplume smiled softly and explained, "This honey is very beneficial for you young Pokémon. It helps to improve your physical constitution and aids in your growth."

"But it's very difficult to gather. There's only a limited amount of honey here in this whole garden, probably just this one bottle, so you'd better not miss it."

Riolu stared at the small bottle in his hands. He didn't even dare to speak, focusing entirely on the golden droplets falling from the air, quickly moving to catch them in the bottle.

As Vileplume calmly made more honey, Riolu diligently collected it.

"Long ago, this forest was in chaos. Weak Pokémon were bullied by the strong, and the former would often be hunted as prey by the latter. It wasn't just different species—within the same species, the weak had no place to survive."

"And then there were humans—who would frequently enter the forest, wreaking havoc and disturbing the peace. Driven by their own selfish desires, they captured Pokémon, and when they were done, they carelessly released them, abandoning the injured ones. The presence of humans kept many Pokémon in a state of constant danger."

Riolu froze as he listened, realizing that this forest, once portrayed in games and anime as a peaceful and harmonious place, also had a dark side.

"The chaos continued for a long time, until a few strong Pokémon couldn't stand it any longer. A Water-type Pokémon, with immense Water and Psychic powers, conquered the powerful beings of Moonlit Lake to the south and led a group of Water-type Pokémon there to establish their own home."

"An aerial king of a Flying-type Pokémon then took control of the skies, leading countless Flying-types to nest atop the tall peaks in the center of the forest."

"And the strongest Pokémon in the forest settled in a massive swamp in the east, where their overwhelming aura attracted many other Pokémon of the same type."

"With their power and united groups, they instilled fear in humans, restoring peace to the forest and preventing further exploitation by humans."

"However, even these powerful leaders didn't show much regard for the weak Pokémon. They still endured bullying and hunted down the helpless ones."

"Until one Pokémon, by chance, wandered in, and everything changed."

"It befriended a Snorlax and a Budew and showed incredible power throughout the forest. The three Pokémon fought together, standing up for the oppressed weaker Pokémon. Slowly, they helped countless others, shouldering the hopes of many."

"Finally, they decided to find a place where they could settle down. All the Pokémon they helped followed them, and so, Sunrise Valley was born."

Vileplume spoke with a calm tone, drawing Riolu in as he listened, unintentionally stopping his work.

"Since then, whether strong or weak, Pokémon found a place to survive in this forest, and harmony was restored. Many Pokémon no longer relied on the strong leaders and chose to live independently."

"However, now it seems that this peace is being threatened again by an unknown force."

Vileplume sighed deeply.

Riolu suddenly remembered the strange message he had seen in his Pokédex when being chased by Pidgey last time. A shadow of unease flashed through his mind.

"That's how things are. Recently, the forest has been filled with an unsettling atmosphere again. You, unlike the Budews, have the natural ability to fight, so you don't need to worry too much when wandering outside, but still be cautious."

"By the way… You're going to miss the honey!"

"Eh? Ahhh!"