The Lost Riolu
| The Lost Riolu | |
|---|---|
| |
| ISBN: | 9780545177238 |
| Published: | 2010 |
| Publisher: | Scholastic |
| Author: | Helena Mayer |
| Preceded By: | Pokémon Academy |
| Succeeded By: | Coal Badge Battle |
The Lost Riolu is the second book in the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Chapter Books. It is an adaptation of the two-part Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl episode Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu!. It is 78 pages in length.
Blurb
Rescue Mission: Riolu!
When Ash and his friends encounter an injured Riolu, they want to help it. But this is no ordinary Riolu. It's afraid to trust Ash, and with good reason: Riolu's on the run from two different groups of Pokémon poachers, including ruthless Hunter J.
Now it's up to Ash to win the little Fighting-type's trust. Because the move that makes Riolu so special just may be the only thing that can save it....
Plot
A Riolu huddles inside its cell in the research facility it is imprisoned in. Suddenly an alarm blares as a fireball blasts a hole in its cell's wall, and it makes a break for its freedom. It eludes the guards until it is almost off the facility grounds, where it is spotted. It freezes in fear as the guards shine their floodlights on it, but before the guards can capture it, a Golem emerges to fire a Hyper Beam at the building, buying Riolu enough time to continue fleeing. As exhaustion threatens to overtake Riolu, a truck skids to a stop in front of it. Uniformed men wearing the crest of the Lucario Kingdom pile out of the truck with the Golem from before at their side, and Riolu, realizing these must have been the men that broke it out, allows them to put it in the back of the truck. Riolu tries to rest, but before it can fall asleep, its Aura flares up and allows it to see and hear the discussion between its "rescuers" and their boss in the cab. They say that they tricked Riolu into thinking they would bring it home and mock it for trusting them as they tear the Lucario Kingdom crests off their uniforms. Upon hearing it, Riolu uses Aura Sphere on the truck's back door to escape. The boss is impressed by Riolu’s power and orders his henchmen to go after Riolu immediately.
Later, Ash, Brock and Dawn encounter Riolu as they are passing through a forest, and find out it is hurt. When Ash tries to help it, Riolu attacks him with an Aura Sphere to defend itself. Brock is surprised, adding that Aura Sphere is usually learned after a Riolu evolves into a Lucario. Ash tries to help it again but Riolu prepares to attack him again. Unexpectedly, Kellyn, a Pokémon Ranger, deflects the attack with his arm. Riolu soon runs off, with Kellyn following, and Ash’s impulsiveness leads the group into the pursuit. Watching from a tree, Team Rocket is impressed by Riolu’s power and set their sights on stealing it.
While looking for Riolu, Ash is startled as he is pulled into the bushes by the mysterious guy from earlier. Kellyn orders the group to keep quiet and points out that Riolu is in a nearby tree. He tells the group that Riolu only wants to go back home. Pokémon hunter J's thugs show up in their armored vehicles and attempt to steal Riolu. One of her henchman sends out a Crobat, lashing Riolu with a Wing Attack to knock it out of the tree. Ash comes out and orders Pikachu to use Thunderbolt. Crobat dodges the attack before being struck down by Riolu’s Aura Sphere. Riolu leaps out from the shrubs and unleashes a fury of Aura Sphere on the henchmen, narrowly missing Ash and Pikachu. The henchmen respond by sending out their other Crobat, though Kellyn steps in. Throwing off his green cloak and connecting his Vatonage Styler to his wrist, the group realize that Kellyn is a Pokémon Ranger. Kellyn takes control of a nearby Ariados who wraps the henchmen's Pokémon in its String Shot and then he captures a Nincada and orders it to Dig, which traps the henchmen in a pitfall. Kellyn promptly releases the Pokémon he captured, thanking them for their assistance.
Next, Kellyn turns his attention to Riolu, presenting it with a small wooden Riolu figurine. He explains to Riolu that there is nothing to fear as he returns the figurine into a pullstring bag and places around Riolu's neck. He picks up Riolu and tells the group to follow him, introducing himself to them as Kellyn, a Pokémon Ranger whose mission is to bring Riolu home. Kellyn uses a Super Potion to heal Riolu's wounded arm. Riolu approaches the nearby river and takes out the wooden figurine. Kellyn informs the group that the figurine is a gift from the man who raised him. Ash experiences a sudden vision of a house where Riolu receives the same wooden figurine from its Trainer. He approaches Riolu and reveals that Riolu used its Aura to create the vision. Upon hearing this, all react surprised and Kellyn explains the Aura is similar to a feeling and Ash's Aura is perfectly matched with that of Riolu's. Kellyn's Styler starts ringing, the caller being Solana who immediately recognizes Ash and Brock. She informs Kellyn that Ash will be a great asset to the mission. Solana informs them that she and Officer Jenny are currently headed for J's client's house. Kellyn thanks her for the confirmation and replies that he'll meet her at the agreed rendezvous point before signing off.
Kellyn and the group spot Hunter J's airship flying overhead, so they push forward and cross a lake by a boat. As they cross the lake Kellyn explains that Riolu comes from the Lucario Kingdom, where it will use its special Aura powers to serve as the kingdom's new guardian. Their boat is smashed by J's henchmen's Sharpedo who show up. A Floatzel jumps out of the water and Kellyn uses his Capture Styler to enlist its help. He orders Floatzel to take them to the shore but they are attacked by Sharpedo's Aqua Jet. In order to escape them, Pikachu shocks the Sharpedo with Thunderbolt before J and her Salamence show up. The group proceeds to attack her, but Salamence deflects their attacks with Hyper Beam. Hunter J points her freezing bracelet at Riolu, so Kellyn has Floatzel use Water Gun to hit Salamence in its wing. After that, she fires a shot. Riolu manages to evade it, but drops the figurine in the water. Riolu swims after its memento, so Kellyn and others prepare to follow. Salamence uses Hyper Beam on the surrounding cliffs which break apart to stop Kellyn, Dawn and Brock in their tracks.
Meanwhile, Ash, Pikachu and Buizel continue following Riolu and the figurine. The figurine falls down a waterfall and Riolu is caught in the currents, and is dragged underwater. As Riolu drowns it recalls the moment it was captured by the scientists. It later wakes up to find itself lying down on the grass after being rescued by Ash, who gives it the wooden figurine. Pikachu hears Hunter J nearby, so he along with Ash, Buizel and Riolu run away but are spotted by Hunter J and her henchmen. The henchmen prepare to go after them, but Hunter J puts her own plan into motion. She has her Salamence use Flamethrower to set the forest alight, soon managing to trap Riolu and Ash in a ring of fire.
Faced with a raging fire and Hunter J flying overhead, Ash orders Buizel use Water Gun to douse the flames, allowing him and Riolu to escape. However, J intervenes, freezing Riolu with her laser. Ash picks up the wooden Riolu figurine before he is blasted away by Salamence's Hyper Beam. Hunter J proceeds to retrieve Riolu, storing it aboard one of her land vehicles. Meanwhile, Dawn and Brock help all the wild Pokémon escape the raging forest fires, and Kellyn enlists three Blastoise to use Rain Dance to put out the flames.
Ash escapes J’s clutches and flees to higher ground with the help of Chimchar's Dig. He soon spots J’s airship and sneaks on board. Meanwhile, Hunter J takes a call from her client, who is glad to hear she succeeded in capturing Riolu for him. After verifying that Riolu is in fact real, he agrees to pay J and signs off. Ash rushes into the control bridge, demanding the return of Riolu. J responds by sending out her Drapion which proceeds to grab Ash with its pincers. Hunter J reveals that she was well aware of Ash's intrusion, but wanted to punish him. Pikachu leaps onto Drapion and hits it in the eye, allowing Ash to escape. J smirks as she opens an ejection hatch below the pair's feet, sending them freefalling. Luckily Kellyn arrives and snatches them to safety using a Staraptor. Ash is disappointed that he failed to rescue Riolu and that J got away. Back on the ground, Kellyn learns from Solana that J's client also escaped.
With J's ship hidden and with no other leads it is left to Ash's unique sense of Aura and Kellyn's abilities as a Ranger to help them find it. Ash and his friends ride Dodrio to get to the rendezvous point, where the client picks up Riolu. After delivering Riolu, J and her troops, having gotten their money, leave the client to battle Ash and company on his own. Ash uses Staravia to slash the tires on the truck so the client can't escape. Instead, the client summons his Fearow and flies away with Riolu in hand. Solana and Officer Jenny arrive, offering to take care of the remaining henchmen; Brock and Dawn also join in. The tides of battle quickly change when Solana enlists the assistance of a Trapinch to trap the henchmen and their powerful Pokémon in a Rock Tomb.
Meanwhile, Kellyn and Ash pursue the client using their Dodrio. Kellyn has his Dodrio run across a steep cliff face before leaping atop Fearow and delivering a Fury Attack to hinder the getaway. The client quickly recovers and rushes into a nearby cave with Riolu in hand. He calls on his Aggron to block the cave with Rock Smash. Kellyn sees a Donphan and uses his Capture Styler to have it use Rollout. They knock down the barrier, only to find the tunnels all covered up with more rocks. Ash uses Riolu's Aura connection before using Donphan's Rollout to clear the tunnel on the farthest left leading to the client and Riolu. The client is furious to see that Ash and Kellyn located him, and confused when Ash says Riolu told him which way he went. He orders his Aggron to attack, but Donphan counters with Horn Attack. Aggron is sent backwards and knocks over its Trainer, who loses possession of Riolu's case. Ash rushes over and frees Riolu from its glass case. Aggron retaliates with a Hyper Beam, but Riolu strikes back with an Aura Sphere. Using Pikachu's Volt Tackle, Ash is able to knock Aggron out, which pins the client to the ground. Kellyn confronts the client, telling him the jig is up. Meanwhile, Officer Jenny, with the help of Brock and Dawn, have since tied up all the henchmen.
Later, J receives her latest mission. However, Team Rocket is determined to get the revenge on the Pokémon hunter. J ignores the trio's motto and drives her airship directly into their Meowth balloon, which explodes as a result and sends Team Rocket blasting off. By evening, Officer Jenny leaves with a van full of criminals and Riolu is happily reunited with its rightful Trainer. Kellyn thanks Ash and his friends for the help and declares mission complete. Riolu's Trainer also offers his gratitude and Ash remembers that he still has the little figure that Riolu owns. He gives it back to Riolu and steps back only to get caught in its Aura communication, as Riolu thanks him for returning its prized possession back.
Major events
- Ash and his friends meet Kellyn.
- Ash and his friends help free Riolu from poachers.
Debuts
Pokémon debuts
Characters
Humans
Pokémon
Trivia
- In 2009, Scholastic published a tête-bêche (double-sided book) featuring Pokémon Academy on one side and The Lost Riolu on the other, with a sheet of temporary tattoos between the last pages of the two. This edition of the two books was made available for distribution only through "the school market," i.e. Scholastic Book Fairs. The ISBN of this publication is 978-0-545-20050-9.
- In the scene after Hunter J's minions' Sharpedo destroy the boat Ash, Riolu, Kellyn, Dawn, and Brock are on, there is a difference between the anime and the book in how Ash recovers. In the anime, he calls on his Buizel immediately after being thrown into the water. In the book, however, Ash does not call on Buizel until he is chasing after Riolu as it swims down the river to retrieve its doll; before then, he either struggles through the water himself or hitches a ride on Kellyn's Floatzel.
- Hyper Beam is consistently described as fiery throughout the book, including at least two instances of it being described as a ball of fire. This is unlike most depictions of the attack, which show it as pure energy or occasionally somewhat electrical in nature.
- The battle between Dawn, Brock, Solana, and Officer Jenny and the client's henchmen plays out quite differently in the book than in the anime, with the Pokémon involved using completely different moves on different targets.
Errors
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