Chapter 39 - 39 - A Dream, All Along

Then, in a space-like dream, Rico opened his eyes, only to see Arceus and Blue Ninja beside it while floating in zero gravity. Everywhere was space and stars.

"What happened to me?" Rico asked them in puzzling as if he woke up, "Where am I?"

"Welcome to my world, Rico,"Arceus answered him without its mouth moving.

"I'm the part of the Legendary Pokémon Council here," Blue Ninja added in serious-ness.

"Oh, I see," Rico replied as he calms down, "What am I doing here? Am I dead?"

"No, you're not," Arceus answered his questions.

"Yeah," Blue Ninja added in seriousness.

"You're here because I'll thank you for helping my member to snap me out," Arceus explained everything.

"Oh, really," Rico replied in positivity, "You're welcome. Luckily I able to sense your inner mind. I don't know why;" he then scratched his head a bit.

"Because you're a good kid," Arceus replied in answering.

"But very extremely below my rank," Blue Ninja added an explanation, "Just a good kid."

"Oh, I see," Rico mildly replied. This follows a short silence. After this, Arceus said to Rico, "Rico, I have one petition for you."

"What?" Rico replace in positivity.

"Wake up," Arceus answered him sternly.

"What?" Rico responded in confusion.

"WAKE UP!!!" Arceus responded loudly. This scares Rico his life, and then, as a result, he woke up, this time for real.

Back in reality, Rico woke up in sudden fright, only to find out that he was in a bed in a Pokémon Center.

"W-What happened to me?" he asked in mix of fright and confusion. Lucas, Rosario, Trevor, Ben, and Campillo then turned around to see him, and upon seeing him fine, Lucas and Rosario ran to him, and hugged him in embrace and relief.

"Rico, sweetheart, are you okay?" Lucas asked him in relief.

"Daddy, I'm...I'm fine," Rico replied as he sheds some tears of sadness, "Where am I?"

"Rico, why did you left to do such thing?" Rosario mildly and seriously asked him in scolding. Rico, in tears, then responded, "Mommy, daddy, I'm...I'm sorry for doing that. I thought I would able to do that, but it turns out it was hard for me to do it. Sorry for almost risking my life;" he then started to cry. Comforting him, Lucas mildly replied, "It's okay, son, I understand now. I forgive you."

"Yes, Titus," Rosario said in comforting, "But we just don't let you be in danger or in a dangerous situation. It's okay, son, we forgive you.'

"Thank you, mommy and daddy," Rico responded in pity-happiness; he then hugged his parents as the rest in the room smiled in happiness.

A minute later, after hugging, Rico asked in stunning and puzzling, "What happened to me anyway? Where am I?" Trevor then stand up and explained to him, "You had been in a coma for three days."

"And we saw you collapsed by the cliff edge," Campillo added another explanation as he stands up. Stunned by this, Rico responded, "What? Am I?"

"Yeah," Ben responded in enthusiasm, "And you're in front of the newspaper." He then ran to Rico and show him a newspaper article, with a black and white photo of Rico and Arceus having a showdown at the cliff side.

"The news copter had managed to capture this photograph while in the air," Ben continued his story, "You're famous in that newsletter."

"Wow, really?" Rico brightly retorted, "Thanks." Then in worry, concerned state, "Uh, where's my Pokémon?" He then frantically look around him.

"Don't worry, Rico," Lucas responded as he calms his son down, "I had them right here for you. I took care of them while you're in a coma;" he then called of Rico's Pokémon out of their Poke Balls. Coming out of their Poke Balls, Riolu, Litleo, and Piplup turned to their trainer.

"Hey, Riolu, Litleo, and Piplup," Rico happily greeted them. In response, their Pokémon became happy to see him, and then ran to him, climbed to him, and hugged him in embrace and relief.

"Oh, man, I missed you so much," Rico happily responded as he felt comfortable in happiness and while shedding tears of joy and relief. Riolu, still holding Rico's towel, then give the towel to him. Accepting it, Rico happily responded, "Haha, thanks, Riolu."

"Riolu!" Riolu happily responded.

"Litleo!" Litleo happily responded.

"Piplup, Piplup!" Piplup responded in happiness. After that, Rico put Riolu down and asked them, "Uh, where's that Blue Ninja and what happened to Red Eye and his team?" Campillo then stand up, readjust his glasses, and responded, "Blue Ninja disappeared without a trace, and Red Eye and his team escaped."

"What?" Rico replied in stunning.

"But we managed to catch one of his grunts," Trevor seriously replied while crossing his arms, "We asked her some questions, but she refused to answer. She's in jail now." Calming down, Rico replied, "Oh, I understand now. Hey, I have something to tell you, about my dream;" he then told everyone his dream-vision. Minutes later, they are stunned and amazed at his story, with Campillo commenting, "Wow, that's amazing. I think Arceus thinks you're a good person."

"Yeah," Ben brightly added.

"I see," Trevor responded in interesting. Rico then smiled in happiness. Then, Lucas placed his hand to Rico's left arm, and said to him, "Son, I think you should be more stronger so you could go on a journey. Just train up more, and you will go. Is that okay?" Stunned by this, Rico nodded in agreement and in obedience.

Moments later, Nurse Joy and a doctor came to their room and told the good news, "Well, Rico, I think you're okay now. You're in good shape now. I think I can finally discharge you. You may go home now." This statement caused Rico to be happy in happiness.

Meanwhile, at the Soratas Mountain base, Red Eye was furiously angry, thinking, "I'll get you, meddling kid. I'll get you, ninja trainer. I'LL GET BOTH OF YOU!!!" He then threw two sharp darts towards the two, separated photos of Rico and Blue Ninja attached onto the cork board framed with metal. This will be his revenge against Rico and Blue Ninja.