The usual spot.
A unique kind of place-name that existed somewhere between a lovers' rendezvous and a secret-agent meetup.
The moment she heard those three words, Kagari knew the relationship between this rebellious red-haired young man and Asher was anything but simple.
Clutching the tree trunk tightly, she stared at him with wary eyes.
Asher felt a little too embarrassed to admit he'd been publicly schooled after challenging the Gym, so he answered vaguely, "Heh heh... I... I found a new partner..."
A new partner?!
Sensing the awkwardness in Asher's words, Silver's [Keen Eye] swept right past Diamond and locked onto the purple-haired girl standing by the tree.
D-don't tell me...
In that instant, Silver seemed to suddenly understand everything.
"What the hell?! You actually got yourself a little girlfriend! Brother! We've got big things to do, big things to do!! Women only slow down how fast you throw your Poké Balls! If you've already got a whole family to drag around, how are you supposed to do big things?!"
Little girlfriend... dragging a whole family around...
Boom—
A meteor slammed straight into the Hoenn region!!!
Kagari suffered a devastating shock far beyond what she could endure. Her eyes rolled back as she clung to the tree, her body curling up and trembling uncontrollably.
Words that terrifying had already blown past the limits of her senses.
She... she had gone to heaven! Tragic!
[Rotom! Kagari has suffered intense stimulation! She's lost consciousness!]
Seeing Kagari collapse from sheer emotional overload, Asher panicked.
"Whoa—Kagari! Kagari, you can't let anything happen to you!!"
As he used Viridian Power to give her emergency treatment, Asher turned to Silver in righteous anger.
"Silver, that was way out of line! She's my student! If anything happens to my student, I... I'm not letting you off the hook!"
"Gwah!!!"
While Asher was treating Kagari, Flare shot three feet into the air and jumped out on the spot, furiously correcting Silver's terrible choice of words.
What little girlfriend?! She was just a girl who raised camels!
Using Viridian Power to understand Flare's lizard language, Silver gradually pieced everything together...
"Oh? So that's how it is. Hahahahaha, Asher, you've gone and developed yourself a subordinate! Nice! That's exactly how someone who's going to do big things should operate!"
"A subordinate?"
Still channeling energy into Kagari with Viridian Power, Asher corrected him seriously.
"Not a subordinate. A student!"
Silver spread his hands and shrugged, totally unconcerned.
"Sure, whatever. Same difference. As long as they're useful, it's all good, right?"
Then, at last, Silver finally noticed the inconspicuous Tyrogue, Diamond, and looked confused.
"Huh? What's this? Hey, hey, Asher, is this Pokémon yours?"
Asher answered casually, "Obviously! Didn't I say I found a new partner? It's him. Diamond, my good partner!"
My good partner?!
Diamond scratched its head shyly at that, while Silver looked utterly dismissive.
"What, this thing? A Pokémon like this doesn't even have any Element Affinity talent. There's no point raising it. Pokémon are just born with different levels of talent. Pokémon like Charmander and Chikorita are the ones fit to do big things!"
Flare was very pleased to hear that.
Rubbing its belly, it smacked Asher's thigh hard.
Come on! Listen to your buddy and release that useless thing already!
And the moment Asher received Flare's thigh-smacking signal, he instantly understood. Flare was reminding him that now was the time to stand up and defend his partner's dignity!
Once Kagari's breathing had steadied under the effect of Viridian Power, Asher rose to his feet and pointed at Silver with righteous conviction.
"Silver! I'm really disappointed in you! How is that kind of thinking any different from the people who divide human beings into ranks based on where they were born?"
"Do you really think there are ranks among Pokémon too? In my eyes, every single one of them is something special. No matter what kind of Pokémon it is, as long as it can play its part, then it's the best Pokémon there is!"
"Chiko!"
Chikorita leapt right out, unable to suppress the spinning leaf on its head any longer!
But after getting chewed out by Asher like that, Silver suddenly seemed to reach a great awakening instead.
"Asher... y-you actually have that kind of conviction!! You're right... I shouldn't use that kind of thinking to judge Pokémon as high or low, noble or worthless! Asher, with a level of awareness like that, you really are someone meant to do big things!"
[Rotom! You taught Silver a lesson! His awareness has improved! The Bond between you two over doing big things has become even stronger!]
And Diamond clenched its fists as it felt that old emotion surge back again.
"Kid, believe in yourself! I never thought those League scions were anything special or somehow above everyone else. I think Pokémon are the same way. You've got what it takes to become a Champion."
Hearing words so familiar, Diamond finally understood.
Some things might never come back, but some things had never left at all.
[Rotom! Your words and actions have moved Diamond! The Bond between you has deepened!]
[Partners share each other's insights]
[Unlocked insight: Unlimited Boxing]
[Unlimited Boxing: Your understanding of boxing and your learning speed have both been enhanced]
Asher felt deeply gratified when he saw that result.
Things had gotten a little messy, but just like iron being forged, everyone's Bonds had only grown tighter after being hammered a few times.
"Mmm... mm..."
Right then, Kagari slowly began to wake up.
Asher said in delight, "Kagari, are you okay? Silver went way too far just now, and I already set him straight! Don't take it to heart!"
Silver, to his credit, admitted his mistake and turned his head away awkwardly.
"Uh... yeah... right. What I said earlier was way over the line. Don't take it seriously."
But Kagari acted as if she hadn't heard a word. She just showed a smile soft as a marshmallow.
"Asher, let's go home."
She had awakened!!!
She now understood the meaning of her life!!!
Those who achieved enlightenment were forever happy!!!
Seeing the blissful smile on Kagari's face, Asher assumed she had accepted Silver's apology, and he smiled in relief.
From behind them, Silver called out toward the two of them as they walked away, still sounding worried.
"Asher! Don't forget the usual spot! We've still got big things to do together!"
Over the following days, Asher continued his brutally hard training while also making time to go do big things with Silver.
One day!
Two days!
Three days!
...
As the days passed, by the seventh day, Asher had gradually begun to grasp the basics of boxing through direct sparring with Diamond.
With the boost from their Bond insight, Asher improved at an astonishing pace. He had already adapted quickly to Diamond's style, as well as its various punching habits and footwork patterns.
Now, whether it was his punches or his steps, he'd finally developed some real flavor. He was no longer that dead-inside programmer who only knew how to throw wild haymakers!
And as Diamond traded blow after blow with him, their chemistry grew stronger and stronger.
Every move they exchanged carried not only technique, but old memories too.
Little by little, Diamond began to feel that same sense on Asher's body, the feeling of striving together with its former owner and fighting for a shared dream.
Every punch it threw carried the weight of the past. Every move and every stance contained the thoughts and resolve of two people striving toward a dream.
Slowly, Asher began to feel the will hidden inside those punches.
That intention had passed from that man into Diamond, and from Diamond into Asher.
As he felt the meaning contained within the fists, Asher couldn't help wondering what kind of person Diamond's former owner had really been.
He could feel one thing clearly: that man absolutely had not been the kind of person who used Pokémon for money.
Because what Asher felt inside those fists was fighting spirit.
A fighting spirit that pushed against the current, refused to accept an ordinary life, and wanted to change everything!
Even though the two of them had never met, something was being carried on through a Pokémon.
As Asher felt that fighting spirit more and more deeply, it was as if he and Diamond were gradually becoming more in sync by understanding the same shared will.
The exchange of techniques between them began to flow more and more naturally.
Punch by punch, kick by kick, move by move, every drop of sweat they shed powerfully fused their thoughts together!
At last, their Bond linked the two of them together with undeniable strength!
[Rotom! You and Diamond are perfectly in sync! Your relationship has advanced to: Good Partner!]
[You have formed a solid Bond!]
[Unlocked ability: Aura Power I]
[Aura Power I: You can now sense each other's feelings on a basic level!]