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Covered in a striking mix of red and black fur, it stood about 45 cm tall and weighed only 5 kilograms.
Its head, disproportionately large and round compared to its slender body, was adorned with upright black ears lined with gray fur inside, and its fur spiked out adorably at the tip of its tail.
On a gentle slope, Li Xiang crouched down, locking eyes with Litten. Neither said a word.
After a while, Li Xiang turned his head, pointing at Litten as he addressed Su Yiliu and the tall, thin man nearby.
"Sis, Uncle, I've decided. I think this one is absolutely perfect."
"...You don't want to look at any others? Besides, we haven't even run the move rehearsals or the other tests yet," the tall man replied, startled, and quickly tried to advise him.
This kid had been completely indifferent to the powerful Beldum earlier, despite its incredible potential, leaving without hesitation. But now he was suddenly acting so impulsively? If not to see more options, at least properly assess its performance first! Decisions like this could lead to regret later on.
"Of course, we'll do the tests. But I've got a feeling—this one is the perfect Pokémon for me," Li Xiang said with a confident smile as he stood up. "I trust my judgement!"
From just a quick look at Litten's profile and reading through the breeder's evaluations and scoring, Li Xiang felt as though he had witnessed its entire journey, from birth to its current state.
He hadn't felt this way with Beldum.
What was this?
A fateful encounter akin to the ones trainers experience in games when they meet special or legendary Pokémon?
"Meow?"
Litten tilted its head in confusion, unable to comprehend Li Xiang's words.
As a young Pokémon, its cognitive abilities were still developing, so while it could grasp familiar voices and tones, full comprehension was beyond its grasp.
Still, no one thought to explain to the little cat what was going on.
…...
The breeder soon brought Litten to an open space and had it perform the moves it had practiced countless times before:
Ember, Scratch, Growl, Crunch (Egg Move), Nasty Plot (Egg Move), and Heat Wave.
It knew a total of six moves, significantly surpassing Beldum.
However, this wasn't to say Beldum's high evaluations were undeserved or that it was weak.
Beldum, before evolving, could only learn four moves in total—five if you included the move Headbutt from older generations.
Apart from its innate Tackle, the rest required training to learn.
In comparison, Litten had only learned Heat Wave through training. The first three moves were naturally known by a Level 4 Litten, while the two Dark-type moves were inherited.
Did this make Litten inherently superior?
Not necessarily.
Beldum had undergone four months of rigorous training with three different breeders, earning high marks from all three evaluators.
Litten, on the other hand, was only at Level 4, just over a month old, and had been evaluated by only one breeder—who rated it "Excellent."
When it came to learning moves, the two Pokémon had entirely different conditions.
Still, a Level 4 Litten successfully mastering Heat Wave was enough for Li Xiang to deem it superior to Beldum.
Before him, Litten worked with the breeder, showcasing its exceptional battle instincts. Even Su Yiliu, known for her discerning eye, had to admit that this Litten was exceptional.
Healthy, intelligent, strategic in battle—knowing when to advance and when to retreat.
These were all qualities crucial for a trainer's Pokémon.
Although Su Yiliu didn't specialize in Fire-type Pokémon, these traits were universal markers of excellence.
Soon, it was time for Li Xiang to interact directly with Litten.
Given the destructive nature of Fire-types, the breeder outfitted him with a fireproof jacket.
Having the Pokémon test their moves directly on the trainer might have been old-fashioned, but it was undoubtedly the most straightforward way to gauge the impact and variation of their moves.
As the saying went:
"A trainer who hasn't been attacked by their own Pokémon isn't a true trainer."
Li Xiang had once seen this phrase on a forum and found it so absurd that he didn't even know where to begin critiquing it.
Enduring several moves in a row, Li Xiang kept his eyes open, carefully observing and feeling the power behind each one.
"Just as I thought—my instincts were spot-on. We're a perfect match."
He sighed in admiration, setting down the leg pads he had been using before crouching in front of Litten.
"Hello there, I'm Li Xiang. Nice to meet you. I hope we can get along well together."
Litten hesitated, clearly unsure of what was happening. Glancing back at the breeder, it saw an encouraging look paired with gestures urging it forward.
"Meow?"
Tentatively, Litten reached out with its paw, placing it in Li Xiang's palm.
Soft and warm, with a slight prickle at the tips of its claws, the touch sent a surge of warmth through Li Xiang's heart and mind.
It felt as though he had been struck by a bullet.
His smile widened into an unmistakably joyful expression as he gently curled his hand around Litten's paw, as if vowing never to let it go.
"It's decided—Litten, there's no better choice than you."
'Meeting you is a blessing. Choosing you is an honor.'
A familiar melody seemed to echo in his ears.
From the moment a trainer chooses their Pokémon, their destinies intertwined. Like two straight lines bending to meet at a single point, creating a new focus in their lives.
From that moment on, they would support each other, overcome obstacles, and climb to new heights, experiencing everything together.
Until the very end of their journey.
"Meow~"
This time, Litten didn't need to look at the breeder; it could hear the happiness in Li Xiang's voice. Sensitive as it was, it seemed to understand something and responded softly.
The boy and the little cat clasped hands/paws, their smiles as radiant and genuine.
Nearby, Su Yiliu smiled warmly.
Women, being emotional creatures, often couldn't resist such heartfelt scenes, but the tender moment was cut short when Litten pulled its paw back and curiously sniffed Li Xiang.
Though it wasn't used to being so close to strangers, it found something about Li Xiang's scent captivating—so enticing it couldn't help but investigate.
"You're sniffing—oh? Is it this?"
At first, Li Xiang was confused, but then he seemed to realize something, pulling a small, boxed "lollipop" from his pocket.
But this "lollipop" was made of a dark wooden stick and what appeared to be herbal residue, clearly not something tasty.
In truth, it wasn't for human consumption.
—A catnip lollipop.
The ball was packed with dried catnip, and the stick was made from silvervine wood.
It was the favorite treat of Li Xiang's chubby cat, Biscuit. He had bought it using his allowance. Normally, Biscuit was aloof and wouldn't let him pet her.
Whenever Li Xiang wanted to cuddle her, he would take out this lollipop, effectively "sedating" her, and then shower her with affection.
He had just used it in the office and stuffed it into his pocket on a whim. He hadn't expected the Litten to sniff it out.
"Meow!!"
As soon as the Litten caught sight of it, its eyes lit up like two shining stars, and it leapt toward the treat!
Seeing this, Li Xiang didn't dodge. Instead, he extended the catnip lollipop toward the Litten.
Both catnip and silvervine are natural herbs that can stimulate a cat's brain, causing a euphoric reaction—sometimes even hallucinations in extreme cases.
Thankfully, they are neither addictive nor habit-forming.
After enjoying the experience, cats will lose interest for a while before becoming intrigued again later.
That said, not all cats respond to catnip or silvervine. Many feel nothing at all.
However, Li Xiang was puzzled. Kittens weren't supposed to react to catnip, were they?
'So, tell the truth—are you hiding your real age?'
He gazed at the Litten with a serious expression as it clutched the lollipop, licking and sniffing it with a level of focus he had never seen before.
Its reaction was surprising. Unlike Biscuit's dreamy, dazed state, the Litten remained unusually lucid—eerily reminiscent of those chain-smoking addicts in movies.
"Why are you carrying that thing? Were you planning this all along?"
Su Yiliu curiously leaned in. "Or is it Biscuit's?"
Li Xiang turned his head and chuckled.
"It's Biscuit's, but let's call it fate. I just happened to have a catnip lollipop on me, and then I met Litten."
Coincidence is one of fate's most charming mysteries.
"So, you're really sure now? There are still so many Pokémon we haven't seen yet, and we've only been here two hours," Su Yiliu asked again.
Li Xiang nodded firmly and stood up, cradling the Litten. It held the lollipop tightly in its paws, entirely absorbed in licking it, completely ignoring its surroundings.
"I've decided. I don't think there could be a better choice than Litten."
He repeated himself with conviction.
Li Xiang hadn't forgotten the parable about picking wheat heads from Socrates' third disciple.
Seeing his determination, Su Yiliu said nothing further. Choosing a starter Pokémon was Li Xiang's decision to make—she had no reason to interfere.
.....
Ten minutes later.
After bidding farewell to its companions and the breeder who had cared for it for over a month, the Litten clung to its lollipop as it left with Li Xiang.
Following Su Yiliu and the tall, thin man, Li Xiang carried the cat into a car headed for the breeding center's main office.
What came next was a lengthy process.
Since the Litten was technically Su Yiliu's reward, it first needed to be registered under her name. Then, she would officially transfer ownership to Li Xiang, who would have it recorded under his trainer ID.
The paperwork would take most of the afternoon, with numerous forms requiring signatures from both of them.
It was a hassle, but the process had to be followed.
Rewarded Pokémon were allowed to be transferred to others, but others couldn't directly claim Pokémon from the breeding center themselves.
Doing so would be considered "fraudulent acquisition."
If Li Xiang ever became a public figure, even if the misunderstanding was eventually cleared up, the stain of "fraud" would remain a blemish on his reputation.
Following the rules was a way of safeguarding one's interests.
....
Lunch was provided at the facility and was quite good.
Meanwhile, the Litten was taken for a health check. Before leaving the breeding center, it needed a thorough examination to ensure it was free of any illnesses.
Pokémon can suffer from a variety of ailments, far beyond the typical status conditions.
Of course, most Pokémon possess robust constitutions and rarely contract serious diseases.
This was Li Xiang's first Pokémon. While he was thrilled, he couldn't help worrying about the Litten's health. His excitement had dulled his appetite, and he barely ate.
He also thought about Lin Feng.
Lin Feng was likely headed to the Sharp Claw Breeding Center to purchase the Charmander he had been longing for. Li Xiang wondered how it would compare to his Litten.
When it comes to Charizard… it's hard to say.
Charizard, a Pokémon beloved by the developers, would surely shine in the hands of a protagonist-like trainer such as Lin Feng.
From the sixth generation onward—or perhaps even earlier—Charizard had consistently been a top contender in ranked battles.
With its two Mega Evolutions, it became even more formidable.
Mega Charizard X dominated singles battles, while Mega Charizard Y was among the strongest weather-setters below legendary Pokémon. Its Heat Wave in sunny conditions was a force to be reckoned with.
In Generation VIII, Charizard continued to stand out. It received a Gigantamax form ahead of its fellow starters from Generation I, becoming the ace of the regional champion.
In the anime, Lance's Gyarados was even brought out to be pummeled by Leon's Gigantamax Charizard.
Leon, in the Pokémon Journeys series, was portrayed as both the Galar League Champion and the Monarch of the World Coronation Series—recognized as one of the eight strongest trainers in the world by the Pokémon Battle Committee.
He was hailed as undefeated.
What are the Masters Eight?
They are considered the eight strongest trainers in the World Coronation Series.
Though some debate remains about how many regional champions participated or whether the series was just a vanity project for Galar, Leon's strength was undeniable.
It's no wonder Charizard was nicknamed "Masuda's Favorite." It truly lived up to its reputation.
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