Keldeo — I Have to Be Able To!

Unova Region, Humilau City Pokémon Center.

"Fortunately, you managed to stabilize its condition, Mr. Johan. It's out of danger now," Nurse Joy said, gazing into the special treatment room where Keldeo lay.

From the looks of it, if Johan hadn't used Revives and aura, there was no way Keldeo would've recovered in just a few hours.

"That's a relief…"

With the Pokémon Center's high-end League medical tech and cutting-edge treatment, Keldeo soon regained consciousness.

But when it realized it was trapped in a sealed room, panic overtook it. It reared back, preparing to smash through the glass with its head—

Then froze.

It remembered. Its horn—the "sword" of every Swords of Justice—was broken.

For a true swordsman, their sword is their pride. For it to be shattered in battle is devastating.

Once given permission by Nurse Joy, Johan hurried into the special treatment room.

Each Pokémon Center only had one of these rooms, and the cost of building one wasn't cheap. If Keldeo smashed it up… whose bill would that be?

Whoosh!

Seeing Johan, Keldeo spun around, raising a combat stance.

"Who are you?!"

Its young, high voice echoed directly in Johan's mind.

But as soon as it blurted the question, Keldeo seemed to recognize him and lowered its guard a little.

"You're… the one who saved me?"

Good, at least it remembered.

Johan opened his hands calmly at his chest, signaling he meant no harm, and gently extended his aura toward Keldeo.

That familiar energy…

It was his savior.

"Thank you for saving me!"

Keldeo fully relaxed, eyes shining with gratitude.

As a righteous swordsman, it had been taught early on to express gratitude.

Johan let out a small breath of relief and gave Gengar—still lurking in his shadow—a silent signal to relax.

"Please! Please help me! Save the Swords of Justice!"

Keldeo's voice trembled with urgency, like it had grabbed hold of a lifeline.

It hadn't even considered whether Johan was trustworthy or strong enough to help—it just pleaded.

Typical of a Keldeo modeled after Ash's version.

Luckily for it, it happened to ask the right person.

"Calm down," Johan said, raising a hand and sending a wave of aura to soothe Keldeo's emotions.

Aura worked wonders…

"Mmm…"

Keldeo let out a soft sigh, visibly calming down.

"Take your time. Start from the beginning. What exactly happened?" Johan spoke gently, creating a space where it could speak freely.

"It's all my fault…"

Keldeo's voice was full of remorse as it began to recount the incident—starting with Kyurem.

Kyurem resided in the Giant Chasm. Not many knew that, since the place was a desolate ruin—a maze-like cave where unfamiliar travelers could easily get lost.

What's more, the area was constantly blanketed in intense cold. Without serious protection, one could easily freeze to death if they went too far in.

Ordinarily, that wouldn't have been a problem—dangerous, sure, but isolated.

But Kyurem was too powerful. Its icy aura attracted hordes of Ice-type Pokémon, and together, they created an overwhelming cold that spread far beyond the cave—threatening the survival of nearby wild Pokémon.

So the Swords of Justice—Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion—stepped in on behalf of those Pokémon. They approached Kyurem in hopes of negotiating, asking it to confine its cold within the chasm.

The chasm was large enough, after all.

But Kyurem… wasn't exactly a reasonable sort.

And so battle broke out.

Keldeo, their "student," believed its training had finally borne fruit. It thought it could help.

But when it actually faced Kyurem…

It realized just how weak it was.

It fought—and had its horn, its sword, broken in a single strike.

Worse yet, the three Swords had to protect it, taking hits from Kyurem themselves.

Johan quietly rubbed his chin, listening to the full story.

It didn't quite match the version from the movie…

"So… Cobalion and the others were frozen by Kyurem?" he asked.

"Yes," Keldeo nodded.

But what it said next surprised Johan.

"But it wasn't out of malice. They were frozen because they tried to protect Kyurem."

"…What?"

"Ka-kaah?" Gengar popped out of the shadows, scratching its head.

This story's getting weird.

Weren't they frozen because they tried to protect you?

Keldeo's ears drooped with shame.

"A-actually… I never even saw Kyurem properly…"

The blizzard and ice were so intense, Keldeo didn't even get a good look before getting knocked out.

Gengar was about to give it a funny look when Johan discreetly patted its head to suppress the reaction.

He remained composed. "Then what did you mean, they were protecting Kyurem?"

Keldeo lowered its head. "Because… after I was knocked out, a group of unknown Pokémon arrived. Their target was Kyurem."

It paused.

"Kyurem and the others had used up a lot of strength in battle. Those Pokémon were trying to take advantage of the situation!"

Johan's eyes sharpened as he pieced it together.

Originally, Kyurem fought the three Swords in what was a fair battle.

Then Keldeo barged in, angering Kyurem, making it think the Swords were dishonest.

The Swords were forced to go all out to protect Keldeo.

Then—another group of unknown Pokémon showed up, attacking Kyurem in its weakened state. Likely expecting the Swords to join in.

But they didn't.

Despite their injuries, the Swords stood with Kyurem.

They even helped Kyurem fight off the invaders.

Moved by their justice and sincerity, Kyurem froze them—not as punishment, but as a form of protection and recognition.

They had earned its trust.

But they were left trapped in ice.

Keldeo, meanwhile, managed to flee during the chaos. Before being frozen, the Swords told it to seek help.

Whether that was truly what they wanted, or just gave Keldeo an excuse to escape, was unknown.

Maybe, in the future, the three Swords and Kyurem would strike a deal to let Keldeo grow—born of mutual hardship.

By now, Johan had fully pieced it together.

The mysterious group of attackers?

Most likely, the five Genesect—Apocalypse Bugs.

Bug and Steel-type, resistant to both Ice and Dragon. A bad matchup for Kyurem.

With Team Plasma's tech and support…

It was very possible they'd succeeded.

"Tch…"

Johan leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head.

If that were true, things had gotten serious.

"Can you help them?" Keldeo looked up at Johan and Gengar, eyes filled with hope.

This wasn't just about help anymore—he had to go.

For the Genesect, too—since he'd promised them via Porygon-Z. He had to try.

Also, to assess Kyurem's condition. If Plasma hadn't succeeded yet, he could still stop them.

And if they had…

Then he'd free the Swords of Justice. Maybe they'd help.

Johan made his decision.

"Can you move?" he asked solemnly.

"I can!"

Keldeo gritted its teeth and stood, wobbly but determined.

If it hadn't been so reckless, the Swords wouldn't have fought to that extent, wouldn't have been vulnerable.

It had to be able to.

"Ka-kaah…" Gengar gave a small, approving nod.

Taking responsibility—even if reckless—earned its respect.

"Mr. Johan, it hasn't fully recovered yet," Nurse Joy said with concern.

"I know."

Johan looked Keldeo in the eye.

"But I believe it can."

Keldeo's head snapped up.

It can.

Those words hit like lightning.

The Swords had always trained it, guided it—but they never said those words.

"You're not ready, Keldeo."

"You still need more training."

"There's a lot you haven't learned yet."

It knew they meant well.

But still—it had never heard those words of affirmation.

That's why it tried to prove itself in battle against Kyurem.

And failed.

But now—after everything—it met someone who, instead of mocking or scolding it, believed in it.

That was all Keldeo had needed to hear.

It looked at Johan, then at Nurse Joy.

I can.

I have to be able to.

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Powerstones?

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