"Lucha!!"
From the very top of the towering tree, the Hawlucha let out a fierce cry before leaping down. Mid-air, it performed two agile flips, landing with breathtaking style.
"Rooaar!!"
Ursaring bellowed angrily. The way it looked at Hawlucha made it seem like the two had met before—like old rivals crossing paths again.
"That Hawlucha… it's going straight for Ursaring!"
Before Serena could finish her sentence, Hawlucha's claws had already gripped tightly onto Ursaring's shoulders. With a dazzling spin, it flipped its opponent into the air and performed a devastating over-the-shoulder throw, slamming Ursaring hard against the ground!
"Rooaar!!"
The massive pile of berries Ursaring had been hoarding spilled everywhere, scattering across the forest floor.
"Pachiii!"
"Dedenne!"
"Sentreeet!"
Pachirisu, Dedenne, and Sentret cheered happily from the trees as they saw justice served.
But Hawlucha wasn't finished. It unleashed a relentless flurry of Karate Chops, striking Ursaring again and again until, with a sudden burst of force, it launched into a Flying Press. Its knee smashed viciously against Ursaring's jaw.
Ursaring, whose Ability was Guts, displayed its trademark tenacity. Even after such punishment, it refused to faint, lying on the ground but not completely out of the fight.
Then, to everyone's surprise, Hawlucha didn't press the attack. Instead, with a few nimble hops, it bounded back to the treetop.
"Lucha!!"
It let out a cry and struck a dramatic pose, as though showing off to the entire forest.
"…What's it doing? It looks like it's deliberately showing off."
"Yeah, but if it doesn't finish Ursaring quickly, it might recover!"
Clemont and Bonnie were confused. Serena shared their doubts, but Ash understood immediately—this Hawlucha loved nothing more than looking cool.
The masked bird leapt down again, preparing its ultimate move—Flying Press!
But that delay proved costly. Ursaring had already recovered and rolled aside. Hawlucha's Flying Press missed completely, and it crashed into the ground with a heavy thud, wincing from the impact.
Ursaring grinned smugly, lifting a boulder with both hands, ready to crush the fallen fighter.
"Pikachu, help it out! Drive Ursaring away!"
"Pika!!"
Before Ursaring could bring the stone down, Pikachu's Iron Tail lashed out, sending the bear tumbling across the dirt.
Ash hurried over and helped Hawlucha back onto its feet. The bird looked at him strangely, clearly surprised—but it wasn't distrustful. It gave a small nod before bounding back up into the treetops once more.
"Lucha!!"
Striking another exaggerated pose against the wind, Hawlucha glided away gracefully, disappearing into the forest canopy.
"…It left? What a shame. Ash, were you planning on catching it?" Serena asked, walking over with Clemont and Bonnie.
Ash smiled. "I was, yeah. But if fate wants us to meet again, it'll happen. Right, Pikachu?"
"Pika!" Pikachu chirped, nodding firmly from Ash's shoulder.
Just then, a man in a forest ranger's uniform approached.
"You must be talking about that Hawlucha, right?" he said.
After introductions, the group learned his name was Keaton, the ranger responsible for protecting this massive forest.
He explained that Hawlucha was well known here as the "Forest Champion." It often stepped in to protect weaker Pokémon from bullies or to break up fights. In fact, it had even defeated the former Forest Guardian, a powerful Machamp.
"But it has one flaw," Keaton added with a wry smile. "That Hawlucha cares too much about appearances. Every battle, it insists on fighting stylishly—even if it means hurting itself. Just like you saw earlier against Ursaring."
"I see…" Serena murmured. "It's cool-looking, but definitely not always practical."
"Still," she glanced at Ash, "do you still want to catch it?"
"If you do," Keaton offered, "I can take you to its usual training spot."
Everyone agreed, and Keaton led them to a thundering waterfall deep within the forest. At the very top, Hawlucha was already in the middle of rigorous training.
It leapt high into the air, then dove downward with a Flying Press, smashing into the water's surface. The water cushioned the impact, preventing injury while still allowing it to hone its signature move.
"That's Flying Press," Ash explained, his eyes bright. "It's Hawlucha's exclusive move—no other Pokémon can learn it."
"Lucha!!"
Again and again, Hawlucha launched itself into the air, perfecting the technique. It clearly wanted to increase its speed, ensuring that Flying Press could hit opponents before they had time to dodge.
Ash stepped forward, Pikachu beside him.
"We meet again, Hawlucha."
"Pika pika."
Hawlucha froze mid-practice, turning in surprise.
"You're trying to perfect Flying Press, right? You've realized your biggest weakness—it's too slow. You want to strike faster, to make sure it always lands."
"Lucha?! Lucha lucha?!"
The masked bird tilted its head, shocked. How could this trainer understand exactly what it was thinking?
Ash grinned. "Don't be so surprised. But honestly, training like this won't be enough. I know a way to help you drop faster and hit harder."
"Lucha!!"
Hawlucha bristled, indignant. Its pride didn't like being doubted—but its curiosity burned even stronger.
"How about a bet?" Ash suggested. "I'll show you my method. If it works, you'll let me catch you and we'll travel together. If not, you can keep training however you want. Deal?"
Hawlucha hesitated for a moment, then gave a sharp nod.
The training began. At first, Hawlucha continued its own way, with little improvement. But when it finally tried Ash's approach, its descent became faster, more precise—and even cooler-looking than before!
Its eyes widened in awe.
Keaton, watching from the side, gave a nod of approval. "If you trust him, Hawlucha, go with this boy. I think he's the one who can help you grow stronger."
"Lucha!!"
With a triumphant cry, Hawlucha struck a bold pose. Then, without hesitation, it agreed to let Ash capture it.
A new partner had joined the team!
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