Pokémon: No Way! The Golden Finger Only Comes When I'm About To Die!?

Pawmo continued munching on his food when he suddenly noticed that everything outside had gone quiet. Curious, he lifted the tablecloth.

"Pawmo~?"

Seeing that the banquet hall was now empty, Pawmo quickly crawled out from under the table.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Still gnawing on a large drumstick, he began calling out for Angie.

It wasn't long before he noticed the crowd gathered on the balcony. With his short legs, he dashed over and squeezed his way through the people with some difficulty.

Angie was standing at the very front of the crowd, while Loke stood beside him, gazing up at the sky. The dazzling fireworks were reflected in Loke's eyes.

Loke couldn't help but use telepathy to say to Angie, "They're so beautiful!"

Angie nodded and replied, "They really are!"

Loke sighed, "I've never seen fireworks this stunning before."

Angie chuckled, "Well, now you have. And in the future, you'll get to see many more beautiful sights you've never seen before."

"That's true."

A radiant smile spread across Loke's face.

Indeed, it was free now—free not only in body but also in spirit.

At that moment, Pawmo finally made it to Angie's side after pushing through the crowd. He tugged on Angie's pant leg.

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Looking down and seeing Pawmo, Angie smiled and said, "Finally decided to come back, huh?"

"Pawmo~ Pawmo~"

Pawmo patted its round belly with satisfaction.

Angie bent down to pick it up and gave its tummy a gentle squeeze. "Looks like you ate quite a lot."

"Pawmo~"

Pawmo puffed up with pride at Angie's remark.

Meanwhile, atop the clock tower, Mew quietly sat on the rooftop, watching the beautiful fireworks display in the sky.

However, as the fireworks exploded, their shimmering light reflected in Mew's eyes, revealing a trace of melancholy it couldn't conceal.

"Mew~"

After gazing at the fireworks for a while, Mew suddenly glowed and transformed into a Murkrow, flying off into the night.

When the fireworks ended, Angie and the others began leaving under the arrangement of the palace guards.

Before departing, Angie returned the Aura Guardian's Staff to Queen Rin.

Later that night, back at the Pokémon Center, Angie thought about how Loke had stayed by his side the entire evening and hadn't eaten much at the banquet. To make it up to Loke, Angie prepared a special late-night meal for it.

Angie himself hadn't eaten much either, so he sat down with Komala and Metagross to keep Loke company while they all ate together.

Pawmo stared longingly at Angie's food, wishing it could take a bite. However, it had eaten far too much at the palace, and now no amount of desire could overcome its full belly.

While eating, Angie laughed and said, "Pawmo, it's still early. Why don't you take a walk to help digest your food? Otherwise, you might find it hard to fall asleep tonight with such a full stomach."

Not wanting to sit there watching Angie and the others eat while it suffered, Pawmo nodded in agreement.

Just as Pawmo was about to head out, Angie called it back. "Wait, put this on first."

He took out their usual training weight equipment from his backpack.

This was gear they all wore during their daily runs. Pawmo didn't mind and quickly strapped it onto itself.

Angie patted its head and said, "Just take a leisurely stroll—don't run. You've eaten so much that running might make you feel sick."

"Pawmo~"

Pawmo gave a cheerful response and then headed out.

After finishing his late-night snack, Angie checked the time. Seeing it was still early, he turned to Loke and Metagross.

"I feel like going out for a walk, and I'll look for Pawmo while I'm at it. Want to come along?" he asked.

"Sure!" Loke nodded.

"Metagross~!"

Metagross agreed.

"Let's go, then," Angie said, leading the way outside.

Loke followed close behind, while Metagross used its psychic powers to lift Komala onto its head before joining them.

Even at night, Rota City was as lively as ever due to the ongoing festival. The streets were brightly lit, and the celebratory atmosphere filled the air.

Angie strolled along the main road in front of the Pokémon Center with his three companions, keeping an eye out for any sign of Pawmo.

"Where could Pawmo have run off to?" Angie muttered, scanning his surroundings.

As they walked, they reached a large tree by the roadside.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared on the nearby grassy area, blending into the tree's silhouette under the streetlights. It was difficult to make out any features.

Hearing faint rustling sounds and sensing an aura nearby, Angie felt a surge of curiosity. "Pawmo?"

With a sharp whoosh, the shadow leapt into the tree's branches. As it moved closer, Angie realized it wasn't Pawmo's aura.

He shrugged it off. Nighttime was prime activity time for many wild Pokémon.

Meanwhile, a cat-like Pokémon with black fur poked its head out from the tree leaves, eyeing Angie with a mischievous glint. It soon grinned slyly, revealing its ill intentions.

Angie and his companions, unaware of the lurking danger, had already passed the tree.

Suddenly, the dark-furred feline dashed forward in a blur, snatching Angie's backpack with incredible speed before bolting away.

Loke and Metagross reacted instantly, attempting to use psychic powers to stop the thief, but to their surprise, their abilities had no effect on it.

As the fleeing Pokémon sped off, Angie finally got a clear look at it.

It was a Sneasel, the Sharp Claw Pokémon, with a dark coat, white claws, a red tail, and a red left ear. Gold markings adorned its forehead and chest. Its Dark typing explained why psychic moves weren't working.

Just as Sneasel seemed poised to escape, a bolt of golden lightning sliced through the darkness, striking it squarely.

"Sneasel—!"

Sneasel yelped in pain and collapsed to the ground.

"Pawmo~! Pawmo~!"

Pawmo came rushing to Sneasel's side, scolding it loudly. The earlier attack had been Pawmo's doing.

"Snea… Sneasel…"

Sneasel looked up at Pawmo with pitiful eyes, pleading its case. It claimed it hadn't eaten in days and was so desperate with hunger that it had no choice but to steal Angie's bag.

Pawmo, ever the kind-hearted soul despite its love for food, was moved by Sneasel's plight. Without hesitation, it pulled a piece of cake from its storage bag and offered it to the distressed Pokémon.

Though Pawmo was known for being a voracious eater and fiercely protective of its food, it had a generous heart. It often shared its favorite treats with its companions and was always willing to help those in need.

What Pawmo didn't notice, however, was the sly grin that crept across Sneasel's face as it accepted the cake.

The moment Pawmo let its guard down, Sneasel sprang to its feet and bolted once again, this time taking Angie's bag with it.

It didn't get far. Just a few steps into its escape, it smacked straight into Metagross's massive frame and landed on the ground with a thud.

At first, Sneasel managed to escape because it had the advantage of its Dark typing and caught everyone off guard. But now that Metagross and Loke had reacted, there was no way it could get away.

Angie walked up to Sneasel and said, "Still thinking of running? Where do you think you can go?"

Sneasel sensed the powerful aura emanating from Metagross and Loke. It quickly put on a pitiful act, its teary eyes brimming with innocence.

However, Metagross and Loke weren't as gullible as Pawmo. They completely ignored Sneasel's attempt to feign weakness.

Seeing its usual trick fail on the Pokémon, Sneasel turned its tearful gaze to Angie.

Surely humans are compassionate, it thought.

But it miscalculated.

Angie smirked and said, "I don't fall for stuff like that."

Realizing its plan had failed, Sneasel's expression turned vicious. Its claws gleamed with a cold light as it prepared to attack Angie and break through.

Sneasel was clever. Having encountered many Trainers and their Pokémon, it knew humans were generally easier to deal with than their Pokémon.

Yet once again, it misjudged.

As Sneasel's claws swiped toward Angie, he deftly dodged and, in a lightning-quick movement, grabbed its wrist.

Sneasel: (ﾟДﾟ)???

What just happened?

It tried to wrench its wrist free, but no matter how hard it struggled, Angie's grip was unrelenting.

Just as Sneasel raised its other claw to strike, Pawmo, sparking with electricity, lunged at it.

Pawmo was furious. Not only had Sneasel tricked it emotionally, but now it dared to attack Angie.

Unforgivable!

Sneasel was tackled to the ground, pinned beneath the surprisingly heavy Pawmo. Though small, the little chubby Pokémon was astonishingly dense, and Sneasel found its limbs completely immobilized.

How could such a small creature move so fast?

Blow after blow, Pawmo's Thunder Punch landed on Sneasel, leaving it battered and bruised.

Seeing that Sneasel had been punished enough, Angie quickly intervened.

"That's enough, Pawmo. Stop now."

"Pawmo~!"

Pawmo begrudgingly stepped off Sneasel, still glaring at it. It then picked up Angie's stolen bag and brought it back.

However, as Pawmo reached Angie, its body began to glow with a blue-white light.

The glow grew brighter, enveloping Pawmo entirely.

It's evolving!

Angie watched in surprise. "Already? In the games, Pawmo evolves after being walked enough. Could it be all the traveling we've done together finally hit the mark?"

Within the light, Pawmo's body grew larger. When the radiance faded, a newly evolved Pokémon stood before Angie.

This new Pokémon had slightly darker fur than Pawmo and looked much fluffier. The little tuft of hair on its forehead was now larger, and a mane-like ruff of fur adorned its neck.

It was none other than Pawmo's final evolution—Pawmot.

Pawmo had been about 50 cm tall, but Pawmot stood over 90 cm, though it remained relatively small compared to other three-stage Pokémon.

Most importantly, Angie noticed that Pawmot looked even rounder and softer than before. Its new form seemed like it would have excellent tactile appeal.

Curious, Angie activated his Observation Eye to examine Pawmot.

...

[ Pawmot ]

Type: Electric/Fighting

Ability: Iron Fist

Gender: Male

Level: 34

Moves: Revival Blessing, Wild Charge, Scratch, Growl, Thunder Shock, Quick Attack, Charge, Nuzzle, Dig, Slam, Bite, Thunder Wave, Thief, Thunder Punch, Sweet Kiss, Agility.

...

[ Individual Values (IVs) ]

HP: 29

Attack: 31

Defense: 31

Special Attack: 30

Special Defense: 30

Speed: 31

...

Angie couldn't help but smile. "You're looking great, Pawmot. And you're tougher than ever now!"

After evolving, Pawmot mastered two new moves.

One was the Electric-type attack move Wild Charge, which causes some recoil damage upon use. There's not much else to say about it.

The other was a signature move: Revival Blessing.

Among all known Pokémon, only Pawmot and Rabscara are capable of learning Revival Blessing.

Revival Blessing is a healing move that allows a fainted Pokémon to recover half of its maximum HP. It's an incredibly practical skill.

After Pawmot's evolution finished, it curiously examined its own body.

Angie spoke up, "Pawmot, congratulations on completing your final evolution."

"Metagross~ Metagross~"

"Congratulations~ Congratulations~"

Metagross and Lokko also chimed in with their heartfelt congratulations.

"Pawmot~ Pawmot~"

Hearing this, Pawmot excitedly leapt into Angie's arms. It had evolved again! Staying with Angie was such a blessing!

Angie embraced Pawmot, stroking its fluffy, soft body.

As expected, it felt just as good to touch as he had imagined!

While Angie and the others were celebrating Pawmot's evolution, Sneasel quietly slipped away, not forgetting to swipe the cake that Pawmot had previously given it.

Angie didn't mind. If it wanted to leave, so be it—Pawmot had already taught it a lesson.

However, Sneasel hadn't gone far. It climbed into the canopy of a tree, using the leaves to conceal itself. Hidden among the branches, it munched on Pawmot's cake while observing Angie and his group through the gaps in the foliage.

After their brief celebration, Angie and the others resumed their walk along the road, chatting and enjoying the evening air. Meanwhile, Sneasel continued tailing them from a distance.

Angie, sensing the Sneasel through his Aura abilities, knew it was following them but didn't intervene since it wasn't causing any trouble.

Under the dim glow of the streetlights, the warm light cast a golden hue over Angie and his Pokémon. The group—one human, three Pokémon, and a peacefully sleeping Komala—looked so harmonious as they laughed and strolled together.

For once, Sneasel's cunning face revealed a rare expression of envy.

A long time ago, it too had companions. It had lived happily with its pack in the snowy mountains, frolicking in the snow without a care in the world.

But then, their home was invaded by other Pokémon, forcing them to leave. During their journey, Sneasel became separated from its companions. After wandering for a long time, it eventually settled in Rota City.

Life in Rota City wasn't terrible. At least it never went hungry, as it could always scavenge food from trash bins.

Still, whenever it had a quiet moment, it couldn't help but think about its old life in the snowy mountains and its former companions.

Where were they now? Were they doing well?

After following Angie and his group for a while, Sneasel eventually turned around and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

After their walk, Angie noticed it was getting late. He led his Pokémon back to the Pokémon Center, where they all washed up and went to sleep.

The next morning, Angie brought his Pokémon to the bench where he had first met Mew, waiting for it to return.

Feeling bored while they waited, Pawmot began practicing its moves.

Angie held up his phone and doing video call with Munchlax on his phone.