"Yozora, Jun can be a little mischievous. Please take good care of her."
Before departure, Nurse Joy herself came out to see them off, bowing politely to Yozora.
From this alone, Yozora could tell that this particular Nurse Joy had a special bond with Jun—most likely family. Of course, all the Joys in the world were technically relatives, but this one seemed a bit different.
To Yozora's eyes, the Nurse Joy from Vermilion City looked very young, probably only in her early twenties.
At that age, she likely wasn't married yet… Even if she were, she couldn't possibly have a daughter as old as Jun, could she?
Yozora guessed that Jun was probably her niece, not her daughter.
"Don't worry, big sis. I'll be super good, super obedient~" Jun said sweetly, clinging naturally to Yozora's arm with a smile as bright as sunlight.
Yozora: "…"
Awkward. So it really was "little sister" after all.
Once they reached the outskirts of the city, Yozora wasted no time releasing Pidgeot, instructing it to scout for a nearby river.
A "home bird" was always essential at the start of a journey. Finding paths, finding water—flying Pokémon excelled at it.
Only difference was… Yozora's bird was a little more imposing than most.
"Woooow…"
Jun stared blankly up at the sky. Even though Pidgeot had already soared far beyond the horizon, leaving only a faint silhouette, her gaze still clung to it, reluctant to let go.
Watching her, Yozora couldn't help but remember his own childhood—how he too used to marvel at every single Pokémon he saw.
"Big brother Yozora, was that your Pidgeotto? It was huge! Do you think my Ponyta can ever grow that big too?"
Only when Pidgeot's form vanished completely did Jun finally pull her eyes back, turning to Yozora with eager curiosity.
Yozora chuckled, shaking his head. "No, that wasn't Pidgeotto. That was its evolution, Pidgeot. They're aerial predators, so they grow much larger and more powerful."
"Waaah! So that was Pidgeot…" Jun's eyes sparkled. Learning something new filled her with joy.
"Big brother Yozora, can Pidgeot carry people? Your Pidgeot looks way stronger than my Ponyta—it should be able to carry someone, right?" Jun's questions tumbled out endlessly, true to a child's nature.
"Uh…"
Yozora was stunned for a moment.
He honestly didn't know. He'd never tried.
After all, his Pidgeot had only just evolved. They hadn't had the chance to test riding yet.
In the original story, Ash's Pidgeotto had immediately been able to carry people once it evolved. By that logic, Yozora's Pidgeot—bigger and stronger by far—should be capable as well.
But Yozora didn't dare guarantee it.
Even Charizard, as massive as it was, hadn't been able to carry riders at first, right?
Every Pokémon's talents differed, just like humans. Some excelled in one area, others in another.
So, whether Pidgeot could carry people or not… Yozora decided he'd have to test it in the coming days.
Still, since Pidgeot was a large raptor, even if it couldn't right away, he was confident it would learn quickly.
"Big brother Yozora, can I try? I really wanna ride Pidgeot and fly in the sky!" Jun pleaded, her face lit with excitement.
"…" Yozora felt his head ache.
He hadn't expected such an adorable little girl to be this mischievous.
No wonder Nurse Joy had given that warning—it wasn't just politeness, it was the truth.
Before long, Pidgeot returned, having found a water source.
Jun was practically bouncing with eagerness. With Yozora's reluctant permission, she climbed onto Pidgeot's back.
"Woooow…" Sitting astride the majestic bird, Jun's smile bloomed like a flower—pure warmth and delight.
Carrying her was no burden at all. Pidgeot didn't take off immediately but instead called out to Yozora, urging him to get on too.
"Me too?" Yozora hesitated.
"Pidgeoooot!" The bird gave a sharp, confident cry, radiating assurance.
So Yozora climbed up as well.
At fifteen years old, Yozora was still growing fast. He stood about 170 cm, slim of build.
Pidgeot, towering at over 185 cm with a powerful frame, bore his weight with ease. Jun, of course, was light as a feather.
Since it was Pidgeot's first time carrying passengers, it flew slowly and steadily after takeoff—no flashy maneuvers, just calm, smooth gliding.
"This feels amazing!" Jun squealed happily as the wind brushed past. It was her very first taste of flight.
Yozora too was thrilled, though he kept it to himself.
When they landed by the riverbank, Yozora released all his Pokémon so they could set up camp together—pitching tents, arranging tables and utensils.
Jun, however, was utterly distracted by his Pokémon, bursting into one exclamation after another.
"Wow! That Beedrill is huge!""Psyduck is so cute—and wait, its color's different from normal, isn't it?""Machop! So buff!""And a Geodude—whoa, it's gold! A golden Geodude!"
"Big brother Yozora, you're amazing! You have so many rare Pokémon!"
After eagerly touching and petting each one, Jun looked at Yozora with eyes sparkling like starlight, full of admiration.
In truth, aside from Pidgeot, she recognized all of them—she'd seen plenty of Beedrill, Psyduck, Machop, and Geodude before. None of those species were rare.
But Yozora's Pokémon were different.
His Beedrill was massive, easily twice the size of a normal one.His Psyduck gleamed with a rare blue hide— a Shiny Pokémon, the kind you only ever saw on TV.His Pidgeot was not only rare but built like a powerhouse among its kind.
Machop might've seemed ordinary at first glance, but its Huge Power ability meant it grew stronger every day. Even now its muscles looked more defined than yesterday, arms thick with strength.
And then there was Geodude—its dazzling golden skin marked it as extraordinary, destined for greatness.
Jun couldn't stop herself from touching one, then another, utterly enchanted. She loved every single one of Yozora's partners.
Beedrill, aloof as ever, soon flew up to perch on a tall branch to nap.
But Psyduck, Pidgeot, Machop, and Geodude all happily allowed Jun to pet them. Machop even lifted her high above his head, tossing her into the air playfully, making the little girl laugh and giggle endlessly.
As an Aura Guardian, Yozora could sense the aura of all things—not only strength but also good and evil.
Jun's aura was pure, warm, radiant like the sun itself. No wonder his Pokémon took to her so easily, playing with her as if she were one of their own.
End of Chapter