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Pokemon Horizons Episode 40 debuted in Japan on February 16, 2024, bringing the focus back to Liko and her partner in Sprigatito. During a trip with the Rising Volt Tacklers near Tetsuron Town, the duo meets a Pokemon breeder who happens to be the one who originally raised Liko's Sprigatito, leading to an impasse that threatens to see Sprigatito departing her partner for good.
Fortunately, with a little soul-searching, these two partners find a way to make amends and set their sights on the future. This is certainly one of the more tender Pokemon Horizons episodes thus far, and fans of Liko and Sprigatito, in particular, will get a huge payoff at the emboldened resolve between Liko and the partner she's had since the first episode of the series.
Recapping the events of Pokemon Horizons Episode 40, "Farewell, Sprigatito?"
At the outset of this Pokemon Horizons episode, the Rising Volt Tacklers retain the Brave Olivine docked outside of Tetsuron Town, where Dot befriended her new Tinkatink in Episode 39. Liko is giving Hatenna and Terapagos a bath, but Sprigatito refuses to take one and walks off, noticing a house in the nearby forest with cat ears on its roof.
After finishing the baths, Roy approaches Liko and wants to battle, and she accepts. The Pokemon Horizons heroes send out their starters, with Sprigatito battling Roy's Fuecoco. Sprigatito's Leafage attack accidentally almost hits Hatenna and Terapagos, leading Liko to shield them and then fall and hurt her wrist, leaving Sprigatito to apologize before Roy takes Liko to the infirmary.
Racked with guilt, the Grass Cat Pokemon departs the Brave Olivine and makes its way to the cat-eared house. After Mollie gives Liko a brace, the latter steps out of the infirmary to notice her partner is gone. Sprigatito enters the surroundings of the cat-eared house, finding many other Sprigatito, and the house's owner notices it. Liko is informed by Ludlow that her partner is headed to the cat-eared house.
Liko makes her way through the woods, wondering if Sprigatito is being temperamental, like when they first met, and she ultimately arrives at the cat-eared house. She enters and spots a Sprigatito, immediately giving chase before finding a larger group of Sprigatito and meeting Manya, a cat Pokemon breeder, who states that she already knows Liko from Indigo Academy.
Manya states that she knows Liko because she keeps note of all the Pokemon that stay and ultimately leave her home, as well as the trainers who end up taking them as their partners. Manya took care of Liko's Sprigatito before it made its way to the Kanto region, where Liko would pick it as her partner. However, Manya also states that Sprigatito returning without its trainer might be a bad sign for their relationship.
According to Manya, Sprigatito might have reached a point where it no longer wants a trainer as its companion, even our Pokemon Horizons hero. Liko doesn't believe this and sets off to find her Sprigatito, finding the Pokemon on the roof of the house, but Sprigatito feels guilty when it sees Liko's hand brace. Liko tells Sprigatito the injury wasn't her fault and offers to get her Pokemon some matcha.
Hatenna and Terapagos arrive at Manya's house, and Liko manages to catch Sprigatito, asking it how it's feeling before it scratches her and runs away. This leaves Liko wondering if her first Pokemon doesn't want to stay with her anymore before Manya invites Liko in for tea and snacks. Manya gives our young Pokemon Horizons protagonist the full story of her partner before they met.
Sprigatito originally lived on Manya's ranch and stayed alone on the roof until it saved a fellow Pocket Monster from falling with its Leafage move. This made it quite popular until a wild Spidops caused trouble nearby, capturing its friends. Sprigatito attempted to use Leafage again to help but inadvertently ended up hurting them, leaving the other cat Pokemon afraid of Sprigatito.
While the other Pokemon found trainers and left Manya's house, Sprigatito stayed on the roof, guilty and alone. Liko then realizes why Sprigatito was so reluctant to use Leafage in the earlier episodes of Pokemon Horizons and why it was so upset when Liko hurt her wrist. Manya then revealed that she was present at Indigo Academy when Liko arrived and said Sprigatito couldn't stop staring at her.
Liko learns more about her Pokemon Horizons partner and seeks her out near the Oran Berry bushes where Sprigatito initially battled the Spidops. Liko finds her partner, and before Sprigatito can run away, Liko jumps in front of her and catches her, saying she'll willingly take the scratches from her starter Pokemon and that Sprigatito gave her the courage to face the future as long as they did so together.
Sprigatito retracts her claws, and the two embrace, only for them to spot Hatenna and Terapagos being grabbed by the same Spidops from Sprigatito's past. With Liko's positivity at her side, Sprigatito uses Leafage again, which becomes Magical Leaf instead, defeating Spidops. As the heroes celebrate, Manya tells Sprigatito she's overjoyed that the Pokemon found a family.
Liko and her Pokemon return to the Brave Olivine to finish their training battle with Roy, and Sprigatito uses Magical Leaf to one-shot KO Roy's Fuecoco. The Pokemon Horizons heroes congratulate Liko and Sprigatito, who high-five to signify their victory and emboldened bond.
