NOVEL NEXT Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Ralts
"Are you full now?"
Gently stroking Ralts' small head, Ron asked softly.
Bellossom also approached Ron and Ralts, watching the little Pokémon with concern.
Having witnessed Ralts' earlier ordeal, Bellossom, as a fellow female and someone who had experienced her own hardships, felt a strong sense of empathy.
Meanwhile, Machoke and Persian had restrained their usual brashness, standing silently to the side. Tasks like comforting others simply weren't in the skillsets of these battle-hardened warriors.
A short distance away, Nidorino began daydreaming about what life would be like with a new girl in their group.
Even though they were different species, Nidorino couldn't help but notice Ralts' cuteness and felt an overwhelming urge to protect her.
Under such attentive gazes, especially with Ron's large hand resting on her head, Ralts began to feel a bit shy.
Thinking back to her initial wariness and how she was now letting someone touch her without any resistance, Ralts' face turned slightly red.
"My name is Ron. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"But why were you being attacked by those Gastly? Where are your parents or trainer?"
Having established some trust, Ron posed the questions that worried him the most.
For a moment, Ron felt like a creepy middle-aged man, luring an innocent girl step by step.
As a Psychic-type Pokémon, Ralts had telepathic abilities that allowed her to communicate directly with Ron, a human.
Shaking off the intrusive thought, Ron focused his attention on Ralts, waiting for her response.
Hearing Ron's questions, Ralts was initially startled before trembling slightly.
Seeing this, Ron activated his "Fighting Spirit," helping to calm Ralts' emotions.
The warm sensation returned, soothing Ralts and giving her the courage to recount her story.
Ralts' parents originally lived in the Hoenn region. By a twist of fate, they eventually migrated to the Kanto region.
Thanks to their Psychic-type prowess and high levels, they managed to carve out a nice territory in the forest, where Ralts was later born.
From the day she was born, Ralts lived a life of enviable happiness—eating, playing, and occasionally watching her father show off his strength by defeating challengers.
Ralts had thought those days would last forever.
But one day, a group of Pokémon hunters invaded her idyllic life.
Using advanced technology and effective countermeasures, the hunters neutralized her parents' abilities.
Their goal was simple: to capture Ralts' family alive.
Realizing this, her parents made one final decision—to sacrifice themselves to secure Ralts' freedom and prevent her from a life of enslavement.
Once a Pokémon reaches the elite level, it can burn its internal energy reserves to temporarily achieve incredible power.
By catching the hunters off guard, Ralts' father stayed behind to fight, while her mother used the last of her strength to teleport Ralts as far away as possible.
Thus, young Ralts watched helplessly as her mother used up her life force to save her, collapsing before her eyes.
From that day on, Ralts began wandering, driven by one goal: vengeance.
Not knowing the way, she eventually drifted to the outskirts of Lavender Town. While scavenging for food, the Gastly spotted her.
If Ron hadn't arrived in time, Ralts would have perished unnoticed on the desolate streets.
After hearing Ralts' story, the room fell into a heavy silence. Bellossom's eyes glistened with tears.
"Ralts, I'm a Pokémon Trainer. My job is to capture Pokémon, help them grow stronger, and battle alongside them."
"You must know that relying solely on your strength, it'll take an immeasurable amount of time to become strong enough to defeat those hunters. Finding them alone would be a challenge in itself. I can help you with all of that."
"So I ask you now—will you become my Pokémon? Let me help you grow stronger and avenge your parents!"
The easiest way to win over Ralts would have been to leverage the bond they had started building, gradually deepening their relationship before bringing up the idea of capturing her.
But Ron disliked such methods, especially for someone as tragically burdened as Ralts.
No matter how sincere his intentions, such an approach would still feel deceptive.
Instead, Ron decided it was better to lay everything out from the start.
If Ralts declined, he wouldn't force her. He would do what he could to help her, but beyond that, her fate would be out of his hands.
Everyone has the right to choose their path, and every choice inevitably involves sacrifices.
Ron's sudden question heightened the tension in the already somber room.
For Ralts, the decision was even harder. Just as she began to feel warmth, she now had to choose again. Having been betrayed by humans before, she harbored a lingering fear.
What Ralts knew for sure was that Ron was telling the truth. He genuinely wanted to help her, which was why she couldn't decide right away.
Ron said no more, patiently waiting for Ralts' answer.
After half an hour, Ralts finally looked into Ron's eyes with resolve.
"I'm willing!"
Her voice echoed in Ron's mind, filled with determination.
It wasn't Ron's charm that won her over, but Ralts' thoughtful deliberation.
She realized Ron had a point: surviving on her own was hard enough, let alone growing strong enough to take revenge.
Ralts needed help—human help.
And among the few humans she had met, Ron was genuinely trying to aid her.
Rather than risking unknown dangers with others, Ralts chose to trust Ron. This wasn't just her Psychic powers at work; it was a decision from the depths of her heart.
"Great! From today onward, we're partners."
"Machoke, the others, and I will help you grow stronger, find your enemies, and avenge your parents!"
With that, Ron held out a Poké Ball to Ralts.
As she gently tapped the center button, Ralts entered the Poké Ball without resistance.
From this moment, a new journey began for them both.
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