In an unnamed forest...
Paul, with his usual "dead fish" eyes, faced down an Ursaring.
He took out his Pokédex and scanned it.
Then, he sent out his Elekid.
The Ursaring was hit by a Thunderbolt and flew into a rage, charging straight at Paul.
Elekid blocked its path, but was knocked out by a single Hammer Arm.
Paul sent out his other Pokémon one by one.
Without exception, all were defeated by the Ursaring.
Paul watched the Ursaring charge at him again.
He frowned, and threw his last Poké Ball.
A Staravia emerged.
It spread its wings and dove at the Ursaring with a Brave Bird, slamming it to the ground in a single hit.
A smirk touched Paul's lips, and he casually tossed a Poké Ball.
The ball hit the Ursaring and pulled it inside.
It fell to the ground and shook violently. On the last shake, it chimed, signaling a successful capture.
Looking at the Ursaring in his hand, Paul thought back on the battle.
He took out his Poké Balls, keeping only Elekid, Ursaring, and Staravia.
He released all the other Pokémon and told them they were free.
The Pokémon hesitated for a moment, then went their separate ways.
Staravia stood on a branch, preening its feathers, all while watching Paul.
In the time it had been traveling with him, he seemed to frequently catch strong Pokémon and just as frequently release the ones he deemed weak.
It thought about itself, and how it had also grown from weak to strong.
It had also battled many trainers alongside Paul, winning some and losing some.
It shook its head, and Paul recalled it to its Poké Ball.
...
Not long after, Staravia was released again.
On the field was the fainted Ursaring.
It glanced at Paul, whose brow was tightly furrowed.
He looked at the unconscious Ursaring and scoffed.
"Brave Bird."
Paul recalled the Ursaring and gave Staravia a command.
Staravia's body began to glow as it shot towards the opposing Medicham.
This trainer was the strongest one it had faced since joining Paul.
Under Paul's command, even as it pushed beyond its limits, it was still no match for the flawless coordination between the trainer and his Medicham.
After taking a hard hit from a Knock Off, Staravia slammed into the ground. Just before it lost consciousness...
I'm so bored.
...
When it regained consciousness, it was walking out of the Pokémon Center with Paul.
Paul's head was down, lost in thought. Elekid looked at Staravia, asking if it was okay.
It shook its head, signaling it was fine.
Then it looked around but didn't see the Ursaring.
So it was released? Staravia thought.
Will I be released, too?
Staravia flew in the air, the thought crossing its mind.
When it first started traveling with Paul, it had been excited to challenge more opponents.
But after every challenge, the team around it would change. At first, it didn't seem to affect it.
But then it stopped trying to get to know its new teammates.
It had gotten used to waking up and finding its teammates gone.
Staravia let out a soft cry.
It suddenly felt that getting stronger this way was... pointless.
It had been waiting for a battle like the one it had that night—a battle where, even knowing it was outmatched, it had its teammates and its trainer fighting alongside it.
But that kind of thing didn't seem to happen here.
It liked the liveliness of that.
Paul was certainly a strong trainer. Victor was right; for his age, he was already among the top.
But why was it starting to feel so bored following him?
Its mind suddenly recalled the sound of Shana's and Lilligant's (when it was still a Petilil) laughter.
That's it.
This place... it doesn't have the feeling I'm looking for.
There's no rowdy, playful noise.
Since when did I start to like all that noise so much?
Staravia found a tree and landed.
Paul, noticing it had stopped, also stopped walking. He looked up, his "dead fish" eyes staring at the Staravia.
Staravia shook its head.
Although it had gotten much stronger, this method was just too boring.
It quietly looked down at Paul.
Elekid's gaze darted back and forth between them.
Paul looked at the calm Staravia staring at him.
Victor's face suddenly flashed in his mind, and the words he had said as he was leaving.
"Paul, do you really think you're the trainer that Staravia was waiting for?"
At the time, he had thought so.
Only a strong trainer like me is worthy of a strong Pokémon like Staravia.
Aren't I?
Paul fell silent.
That last trainer, after seeing him release the Ursaring, had said he didn't care about his Pokémon's feelings. Now, feeling the Staravia's emotions...
He understood what it meant.
He stared at the Staravia, then finally took out its Poké Ball.
He threw it hard.
The Poké Ball shattered against a rock.
"Do whatever you want."
Was I... really wrong?
Paul stuffed his hands in his pockets, turned, and walked away with his Elekid.
Staravia watched their retreating backs, then flapped its wings once.
Paul stopped and looked back. So did Elekid.
Staravia looked at Paul, a trainer who had chosen a different path to strength. It didn't dislike his methods, but having stayed at the Breeding House and seen how those Pokémon grew strong, it found this drab journey to be... uninteresting.
But... it truly felt that Paul was the trainer it had been waiting for.
Their methods were just... different.
Understanding the Staravia's intent, a small smirk appeared on Paul's lips.
Elekid, seeing this, also smiled happily.
Staravia rose up on the wind.
It looked down at Paul and Elekid, nodded, and left them with a final message.
Then it shot into the sky.
If you ever find yourself lost, wondering how to get stronger... come back to the place where we first formed our bond.
Paul, I'll be waiting for you there.
Staravia flew off in the direction of the Breeding House.
Paul lowered his eyes, then turned.
"Let's go, Elekid."
Elekid, not understanding what had just happened, followed him, occasionally looking back at the spot where the Staravia had disappeared.
...
Back at the Breeding House, Victor, Shana, and the others were eating in the backyard.
A familiar sound of flapping wings reached their ears.
Victor looked up.
A Staravia was perched on the closed sun umbrella, quietly watching them.
Seeing it, Victor swallowed the food in his mouth.
He then spoke softly, "You're back?"
The Staravia preened its feathers and nodded.
"Did you tell him?"
The Staravia nodded again.
It looked around, noticing some Pokémon it didn't recognize.
Shana ran over with Mime Jr. and the others.
The Staravia didn't fly down, just looked at the Shana who was looking up at it.
It gave a gentle smile.
"Welcome home, Staravia."
"Mime~"
Victor went back to the kitchen and got some Poffins for it.
Watching the Staravia eat, Victor remembered the moment Paul had left.
"Staravia, if you come back, you can tell him... he can come visit the Breeding House."
The Staravia had nodded, flapped its wings, and taken off after Paul.
Thinking of that stubborn boy with the "dead fish" eyes, Victor picked up his glass of berry juice.
"To Staravia's return! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"Gengar—"
"Lili~"
...
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