Riolu kicked Excadrill away, then brought its paws together. Blue light flared as an Aura Sphere formed between them, ready to fire.
"Don't hurt it!"
The Trainer Excadrill had nearly trampled to death got up and shouted, "That Excadrill is my Pokémon!"
"Rio?"
Riolu froze for an instant. The out-of-control Excadrill seized the chance, spinning its body and charging forward with Drill Run.
But Riolu's Aura had already picked up on its movement. This time, it held nothing back. It threw itself at Excadrill with Close Combat, fists flying, and knocked it out of the Pokémon Center.
"Rio~"
Riolu had just breathed a little easier when Excadrill's Trainer shoved it aside and shouted angrily, "What are you doing? I told you to stop! Who said you could hurt Excadrill?"
"..."
Riolu stood there, stunned and hurt by the scolding. Was saving you wrong? If I hadn't fought back, I would've been the one hurt.
It couldn't understand. Back when it had been a street punk in Sunyshore City, it wouldn't have stepped in at all. It would've waited until Excadrill killed the Trainer, then searched the body for anything valuable.
But the Trainer clearly wasn't going to let it go. Just as he was about to keep berating Riolu, Mingyou punched him on the head and said evenly, "If my Pokémon does something wrong, I'll deal with it. But before that, can you keep your own Pokémon under control?"
"You—"
"What about me?"
Mingyou had Flutter Mane scare him into silence.
Seeing the argument, Nurse Joy hurried over to calm them down. She took the badly injured Whimsicott and the Excadrill Riolu had defeated away for treatment.
Cozmo sat on a sofa nearby, watching the scene with keen interest.
Mingyou paid the matter no more attention. He took Riolu to