After Dax Jonas was sent on his way, Dad finally let out the breath he'd been holding.
The man had driven him up the wall these last two days. No matter where he went, Dax tagged along. If Dad took too long in the restroom, there'd be a knock at the door and a question through the crack:
"Are you constipated?"
…
"Whew, finally gone."
Dad slumped onto the sofa and asked me, "Where did you run into Victini? Anything else you can tell me?"
I thought for a moment before I answered.
"Guanyin Zen Monastery. Victini can turn invisible—probably why no one's found it all these years."
"And I'm guessing it's only just woken up recently. Before that it must've been asleep."
"As for special traits, it's what I said earlier. But it should also have a signature move, like how Regigigas has Crush Grip."
The instant he heard "signature move," Dad perked up, questions firing rapid-fire:
"What type is it? How does it execute? Power? Usage conditions? Effects on hit? Any added effect?"
I pictured Victini using V-create and answered.
"Fire-type. It forms a V-shaped blaze from its forehead and either rams with it or fires it directly—though the latter doesn't reach very far."
"It seems pretty strong. I don't think there are any special conditions to use it. As for exact effects or any added effect… I couldn't tell."
Dad frowned. That didn't make sense; secondary effects were usually easy to spot. I pulled a face and explained, helpless.
"Victini didn't use it on a target or another Pokémon. It used it on charcoal."
"We were going to grill. Jace's Charmander and I were trying to get the briquettes going. Victini got impatient watching us fumble around."
"So it just whipped out that move I mentioned, and the charcoal caught at once. That's how I even know about it."
I couldn't help it—I started laughing when I pictured Victini afterward, hands on hips, smug as anything.
Dad's mouth twitched, mirroring mine. "Well, can't be helped. See if you can bring it back someday. Once it's used to me, I can observe more closely."
I chuckled, half exasperated. "Alright, I'll try. See if I can coax it home."
…
Early the next morning, our group gathered at the airport. Today was the start of phase two of our trip.
We were heading for the coast. Poor inland kids that we were, the five of us had never actually seen the real sea.
Auron Vale: Where are you all?
Youyu You: Almost there, almost there.
Tim Wynn: Almost there, almost there.
Serena Elm: Almost there, almost there.
Jace Rowan: Almost there, almost there.
Auron Vale: …
They arrived a few minutes later. Youyu You stood beside Hanling Yin.
Serena Elm came straight to my side as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Last to show were Tim Wynn and Jace Rowan. The moment Jace stepped into the concourse and saw the four of us paired off, he leaned close to Tim and muttered:
"We're going to the beach. Shouldn't we find ourselves a girl to go with? Look at them. Now look at us."
Tim glanced at Youyu and me, then at Jace at his elbow, and in the subtlest move I'd ever seen, shifted a step farther away.
"Find one now? Wouldn't the bikini ladies on the beach be better?"
"Right, right—hurry up."
Jace's eyes lit. He tugged Tim along toward us. "C'mon, what are you waiting for? The plane's here."
The four of us traded a look. Waiting for what, exactly? Couldn't they count?
We ignored Jace's chirping and headed through security. Before long, we were on the plane. Our seat numbers were grouped together, so we just plopped down where assigned.
By coincidence more than design, the six of us ended up in three tidy pairs.
I got the window seat; Serena took the seat beside me. In the middle row sat Hanling Yin and Youyu You. Behind us were Jace and Tim.
It was about a three-hour flight from Vantora to Sanya City, and we'd all gotten up early out of sheer excitement.
After some chatter and horsing around, Serena and I started nodding off.
A moment later, Jace and Tim in the row behind us drifted into sleep as well.
Only Hanling Yin and Youyu kept whispering and giggling to each other in low voices.
Because I knew the trip wouldn't take long, my sleep stayed shallow.
I had the distinct sense of being watched. I figured it was Jace trying to prank me, so I cracked my eyes open, irritated.
I was about to snap at him when I saw, outside the plane window, a Fearow flying alongside us.
"Fearow? This high up?"
I mumbled, still groggy. Then I met its eyes and realized the Fearow was staring straight at me.
Auron: ???
Mischief sparked. I pressed my face to the window and pulled a face at it.
"Bleh—"
The Fearow stared—and then pulled its own Scary Face right back at me.
I burst out laughing. This Fearow had personality. At this speed, in this headwind, and it still had time to make a face? Not easy.
"Hm? At this speed?"
I blinked. At this speed? The plane was moving faster than most Dragonite I'd seen—and this Fearow was keeping pace with us?
While I gaped, something like human panic flashed across the Fearow's eyes. It tittered—yes, tittered—then wheeled away and arrowed off into the distance.
Even so, I tracked its retreating back and invoked my data-vision.
[Pokémon] Mew
[Sex] —
[Type] Psychic
[Ability] Synchronize (When inflicted with Burn, Poison, Badly Poisoned, or Paralysis by another Pokémon, inflicts the same status condition on the attacker.)
[Potential] Gold
[Known Moves] Pound, Reflect Type, Transform, Mega Punch, Metronome, Life Dew, Psychic, Barrier, Ancient Power, Amnesia, Quick Attack, Baton Pass, Nasty Plot, Aura Sphere, Work Up, Dragon Claw, Psyshock, Calm Mind, Roar, Toxic, Hail, Bulk Up, Venoshock, Hidden Power, Sunny Day, Taunt, Ice Beam…
[Egg Moves] —
I stared out at the clouds now slipping past the window and let out a rueful sigh. Why hadn't I taken a picture?
Then again, what could I even do with it? Post a photo and claim that the Fearow was actually Mew in disguise? No one would believe me.
I shook my head, scattering the useless thought. Another bubbled up unbidden.
Why had Mew come specifically to look at me? Could it be because of Victini? Honestly, the only Pokémon in my orbit lately that even qualified as being on Mew's level was Victini.
I puzzled at it for a long time and still couldn't decide whether Mew had shown up because of Victini. If it had, would it try to separate the two of us?
No, that didn't make sense. Victini and I weren't even together—yet.
While I was tying myself into mental knots, Serena, asleep beside me, naturally let her head come to rest against my shoulder.
And just like that, my thoughts scattered. Pull away? Stay still? Either way felt wrong.
I snuck a glance around. No one seemed to be watching. Only then did I lightly pat Serena's cheek.
"Hey. Buddy. Wake up. You've drifted onto my shoulder."
(End of Chapter)