The energy converted from the food didn't refill its whole system evenly after fixing its physical injuries. Instead, it flowed selectively—most of it surging into a few specific functional modules.
For example, the engines in its legs were now brimming with power; it felt like a light push-off would launch it dozens of meters into the air.
The jet units in its neck and tail had also fully activated; if it wanted, it could deploy an energy membrane and glide freely through the sky at any time.
The energy suction pads under its feet were gripping hard—never mind rock walls, it felt confident it could climb even a sheer pane of glass.
And the drive wheel in its chest was charged to the max, roaring with power, ready to enter boost mode at a moment's notice.
And…
High jump, glide, climb, dash, surf…
After checking itself over, Miraidon fell completely silent.
It realized that every ability related to "movement" had been restored to peak condition—maybe even better than before—while everything related to combat still wasn't fully back.
It was hard not to suspect Jason had done this on purpose.
Had this guy… really intended from the start to use it as a mount?
It lifted its head and gave Jason a long, odd look.
In the end, though, it said nothing and didn't confront him. After all, he had kept his word. The injuries that could have been fatal were indeed healed. Compared to its life, the fact that fighting power wasn't yet at its peak didn't seem unacceptable.
Besides, it had no proof. Maybe that miraculous food just worked like this.
With that thought, Miraidon slowly stood up. Its movements were smooth and strong—none of the earlier weakness remained. Its purple, metallic body gleamed with healthy luster in the sunlight.
Seeing Miraidon on its feet again, radiating a very different presence, a hint of amusement flickered in Jason's eyes. He knew it had probably noticed—but he wasn't worried.
He looked at Miraidon and said breezily, "If you wanted to leave now, no one could stop you."
He was testing it.
Miraidon rolled its eyes, annoyed. The very human gesture from those electronic eyes even looked a little cute.
"Don't test me," it said, a bit helpless. "I keep my word. I won't go back on it."
It was Miraidon, the god of the future—hardly the type to break a promise over something like this. Since it had agreed to the terms, it would honor them.
Hearing that, Jason finally relaxed completely.
"Heh-heh."
He let out two of his trademark mischievous chuckles, then stopped being polite. He stepped forward, ran up beside Miraidon, and sprang—landing steadily on Miraidon's broad back.
Nice feel—firm but not too hard, with a cool metallic touch. And the view opened up instantly. A divine mount really was a different experience.
Settled on Miraidon's back, Jason rocked his body on purpose and even gave its neck a light pat to see how the legendary Pokémon would react.
But Miraidon might as well have turned into a purple statue. It didn't move. Its eyes stared straight ahead, showing no reaction to Jason's fidgeting—no anger, no resistance, just a look of resigned acceptance.
Noticing there really was no overreaction, Jason grinned wider. So this Miraidon might be a bit proud, but it did keep its promises. In that case, he wouldn't be shy.
"Hey! Gast, Iron Valiant! Hop on! The view's amazing!" Jason called cheerily to the two companions nearby.
"Coming, coming!"
Gast had been itching to go. With a happy whoop, it drifted over and—whoosh—settled beside Jason. Being a floater, it didn't add any real weight, but its curious stare did put a little mental pressure on Miraidon—Gast always looked like it was about to do something odd.
Like a curious kid, Gast floated back and forth over Miraidon's back: poking its smooth metal hide with a tentative, ghostly hand, then leaning in to study the circuit-board-like patterns around its neck.
"Whoa… so this is a legendary Pokémon? Cool and smooth—feels great!" Gast sighed from the heart.
Miraidon's eye corner twitched, but in the end it held back.
With Jason and Gast aboard, only Iron Valiant was still on the ground, hesitating at the absurdity of the scene. This was Miraidon—the future's god, one of the pinnacles of the Paradox Pokémon! There was an even stronger individual back in Area Zero, sure, but that didn't make this one weak. Even in its energy-limited state, the power inside Miraidon was far beyond anything Iron Valiant could challenge. Instinctive respect for such a being kept it from hopping on as casually as the others.
Jason noticed the hesitation. "What are you dawdling for? Get up here," he urged. "Or do you want to walk yourself?"
Iron Valiant drew a deep breath, glanced at Jason, then at the thoroughly resigned Miraidon. In the end, it did as Jason said. It stepped lightly to Miraidon's side—careful not to offend the legendary—and lifted a leg, easing itself over before sitting gently behind Jason.
For a heartbeat, its whole body went stiff. Feeling that solid, steady support beneath it and the faint current humming under the "skin," its mind went blank. Never in its wildest dreams had it imagined actually sitting on Miraidon's back someday.
What kind of experience was this? Something beyond imagination—too strange and wondrous for words.
Its electronic eyes began flashing wildly. Staring at the soft, harmless-looking Ditto in front of it, a surge of indescribable feeling welled up—reverence, stronger than it had ever felt. Defeating strong foes? It could do that. But persuading a legendary Pokémon to willingly set aside its pride and become a partner—and a mount? In its worldview, that was impossible.
Yet Jason had done it with ease. It was all thanks to him. This unfathomable Ditto had let it witness miracle after miracle, impossibility after impossibility. Maybe, by following him, it really would see sights it had never imagined.
Just as Iron Valiant was riding that wave of emotion, the "mount" finally couldn't hold it in.
One rider, fine—it had endured. Two—one of them a weightless Haunter—still endurable. But three? What was it, a tour bus?
"Hey! Don't push it!" Miraidon protested helplessly. Its voice was loud, but there wasn't much real anger—more a speechless "you've got to be kidding me."
Even so, it didn't truly get mad, much less try to throw them off. It had agreed to be a mount, after all. It had assumed that meant just carrying Jason—but this probably still fell within the "mount" job description. Miraidon's word was iron; it wouldn't go back on it.
Jason only chuckled and made no move to dismount. Gast stuck out its tongue and scooted back behind Jason. Only Iron Valiant sobered up quickly after its brief excitement.
In a very solemn tone, staring at Jason's back, it said, "Thank you. Without you, I'd never have had this chance."
It was heartfelt gratitude.
Jason grinned, pleased. "Relax—stick with me and you won't go wrong," he said, thumping his chest and bragging as if it were obvious. "This is nothing. One day, I'll take you to ride on Ho-Oh!"
He sounded bold and utterly confident. Gast, though, cocked its head in puzzlement.
"Ho-Oh?" it asked. "What kind of Pokémon is that? Even cooler than Miraidon? Higher clout?"
Iron Valiant wanted to ask the same thing. It had no data on a "Ho-Oh," but judging from Jason's confidence, the name clearly belonged to something extraordinary. A mount with more "clout" than Miraidon? Hard to picture.
Miraidon, used as the yardstick, just snorted. It didn't know what Ho-Oh was either, but pride as a legendary made it instinctively bristle at the unknown. In terms of mount "clout," who could top it? It was a god from the future, the perfect fusion of tech and power—lightning fast, slick and eye-catching. That "Ho-Oh" sounded like some feather-covered thing; how could it compare?
Miraidon kept those thoughts to itself, merely lifting its head with cool pride to show its disdain.
Faced with his companions' curiosity and his legendary mount's one-upmanship, Jason just shrugged his squishy body and offered no explanation. Some things are better seen than said. He could brag now and make good on it later. His mysterious attitude only made Gast and Iron Valiant more curious, mentally tagging "Ho-Oh" with a big question mark and a lot of anticipation.
Miraidon didn't dwell on it. Something else mattered more. It turned its gaze to the not-far-off Sandy Shocks, which had quietly guarded it all along. After eating the food Jason made with Herba Mystica, Sandy Shocks's wounds had mostly healed as well. Seeing Miraidon recovered, genuine joy shone in its eyes.
"You should hop on too," Miraidon invited. "Come adventure with us."
Its voice was gentle—very different from its former proud chill.
Sandy Shocks blinked, as if doubting its ears. It was being invited too? To travel with the legendary Miraidon and those other powerful partners?
Seeing its flustered delight, Miraidon turned its head toward Jason on its back. It felt it should explain its friend's backstory.
"When I first left Area Zero, my condition was terrible," Miraidon began, voice calm, like telling a story about someone else. "My internal energy was highly unstable and leaked out unconsciously. Almost every Pokémon along the way kept their distance out of fear.
"Only it"—Miraidon glanced at Sandy Shocks—"this fool wasn't afraid. From the moment I left the crater, it kept following me from afar.
"At first I thought, like the other Paradox Pokémon, it just wanted out of Area Zero, so it tagged along. I shouted at it to leave; it didn't. I shocked it to drive it off; it'd rather get hurt than take a single step back.
"Later, my injuries suddenly flared, and I completely lost the ability to move. When I thought I was done for, it stayed by my side, driving off wild Pokémon looking to take advantage, never leaving me for even a moment."
The telling was plain, emotionless, yet everyone present could feel the weight of that steadfast guard between the lines. Gast and Iron Valiant turned to the oddly shaped Sandy Shocks with newfound respect. Now they finally understood why it had shown such tenacity and fearless resolve against them—it hadn't been fighting for itself, but to protect its most important friend.
"From that day on, I considered it a true friend."
Having explained, Miraidon looked back to Jason and asked, seriously and seeking permission:
"You don't mind, do you? That it comes adventuring with us."
~~~
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