>>55910478Forced by Game Freak. Pokémon have always been called partners in Japan and the ones handed out in the beginning First Partners. Thus, they're getting the West further into line with the original Japanese.
Sorry this triggers your zoomer mentality, but as always, you're getting mad at shit NoA saw as irrelevant to their goal of brainwashing the kids to buy brand, but TPC actually needs to be coherent across all canons to market them better.
