Pokemon: Raised by Legends, Chapter 39-40

Chapter 39 - Ho-Oh

"Your name is Fuyuki, right?"

The noble, elegant voice echoed directly in Fuyuki’s mind through telepathy.

"Yes…" He looked up at the massive bird before him. With Entei and the others gone, didn’t that mean he’d be alone with Ho-Oh for a while?

Ho-Oh was one of the most mysterious Legendary Pokemon in the world. Its true strength was unknown. Even though it had appeared many times throughout history, it had never once revealed its full power to anyone.

Curiosity got the better of him. Fuyuki opened the system shop and checked the Rare Candy section, searching for information on Ho-Oh.

There were no levels in the real world, but through Rare Candy exchanges, a Pokemon’s rough strength could be represented as a level.

【Rare Candy (Ho-Oh Exclusive): A Rare Candy used to increase a Pokemon’s level. Exchange cost: 82,000 Shock Points.】

Eighty-two thousand…

That meant Ho-Oh’s strength was roughly equivalent to level 82.

In a world where level 100 was the absolute peak, this put it firmly among the strongest beings alive.

A flicker of shock crossed Fuyuki’s face.

Ho-Oh noticed immediately.

Is the little one nervous? it wondered.

"There is no need to be afraid," Ho-Oh said gently through telepathy. "I am Ho-Oh, a being that brings happiness and good fortune to humans."

Over seven hundred years ago, it had formed bonds with humans in Ecruteak City and stayed atop the tower they built for it. During that time, it had closely observed many humans.

Including how they cared for their young.

An image surfaced in its mind, a human mother holding her child close.

The first step in nurturing the Rainbow Hero was to grow closer to this human child.

Ho-Oh descended from the rainbow-hued stone and landed in front of Fuyuki. It lowered its body and spoke.

"Come, Fuyuki. Climb onto my back. I will show you something interesting."

Fuyuki blinked.

Was it telling him to ride it?

His mouth fell open in surprise.

He didn’t mind, but…

Ho-Oh was nearly four meters tall. To him now, it was an enormous presence.

"Ho-Oh…" he called out hesitantly.

The little one called my name. Ho-Oh narrowed its eyes slightly, its voice warm. "Yes. I am Ho-Oh."

"Too high!" Fuyuki tried to explain. "I can’t reach!"

Ho-Oh, full of anticipation, paused.

It had overlooked that.

A soft blue light flashed in its eyes. The next moment, a gentle psychic force wrapped around Fuyuki’s small body and carefully lifted him onto its back.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed right on cue. "That’s amazing!"

Ho-Oh let out a clear, melodious cry. With a powerful beat of its wings, it soared into the sky, leaving the peak of Mount Tensei behind as it climbed into the clouds.

It was Fuyuki’s first time this high up. Watching the land below shrink farther and farther away, his legs went weak. His body trembled despite himself.

This high up… if he fell, he’d definitely die.

Hmm? Is the little one afraid?

Sensing his emotions, Ho-Oh spoke gently through telepathy.

"Fuyuki, look ahead."

He instinctively pulled his gaze away from the ground and looked forward.

A massive, brilliant rainbow arched across the deep blue sky. The distant sun radiated warmth, and at some point, soft white clouds had gathered all around them. It looked like a fairytale oil painting brought to life.

"Wow!" The moment he saw it, Fuyuki was completely captivated.

"This world is beautiful, isn’t it?" Ho-Oh said softly.

"Yeah…" He nodded blankly, eyes wide.

Ho-Oh smiled. Its cry rang out again, clear and pleasant, as it slowed its pace and drifted through the sky with the human child on its back.

They wandered among the clouds until the sun dipped low and crimson clouds set the sky ablaze.

Only then did Ho-Oh bring Fuyuki back to Mount Tensei.

The experience left him buzzing with excitement.

But what thrilled him even more was how kind and gentle Ho-Oh had been.

Nothing like the aloof, distant Legendary Pokemon he had imagined.

When they touched down, Fuyuki looked up and spoke from the heart. "Thank you, Ho-Oh!"

Ho-Oh smiled.

Then it saw the human child suddenly pull out something that smelled irresistibly sweet, as if by magic.

A Poffin.

Ho-Oh froze for a moment, eyes drawn to it.

Fuyuki held the Poffin in both hands, stood on his tiptoes, and offered it up with effort.

"Here!"

Ho-Oh was startled. "This… is for me?"

"Mm!" Fuyuki nodded, smiling. "Because you played with me all day!"

Something stirred deep in Ho-Oh’s heart, a feeling it had never known before.

The little one…

Its expression softened even more as it gently ate the Poffin.

"Ho-Oh, come with me!" Fuyuki tugged at it. "It’s getting dark. We should go home!"

"Home?" Ho-Oh paused.

"Yeah. The home I share with Entei, Marshadow, Raikou, and Suicune!" He nodded.

"Oh?" A spark of anticipation rose in Ho-Oh’s chest.

It followed the child down the mountain path. Before long, a cave with a sturdy door came into view.

Beside it was a small Berry grove.

Ho-Oh’s eyes flickered with surprise.

"Raikou and I planted those together!" After spending most of the day with Ho-Oh, Fuyuki felt far less nervous around it. Seeing where its gaze landed, he eagerly explained. "That way, we don’t have to go down the mountain to find food!"

Then his expression turned a little troubled.

"But sometimes the Berries grow too fast. Entei and I can’t eat them all, and they go bad…"

"So later, Entei and I started sharing them with everyone in the forest!"

"I see." Ho-Oh’s gaze grew even gentler. It hadn’t been mistaken. This child truly was born to be its Rainbow Hero.

Fuyuki stepped forward and pushed the door open. Ho-Oh looked inside.

To its surprise, it wasn’t a simple cave at all, but a carefully arranged, square space that looked almost like a human house.

Wooden floors, a large rug layered over the carpet, sofas, tables, chairs, even a fireplace. The place felt warm and lived-in.

"This is…" Ho-Oh murmured.

"This is our home," Fuyuki said brightly. "Mine, and Entei’s, and everyone else’s!"

Chapter 40 - Riding Ho-Oh to the Human World!

Ho-Oh followed the human child into the cave.

Curiosity flickered across its expression.

Were all these human furnishings brought back from outside by Entei and the others?

After a full day of playing, Fuyuki was exhausted, sleepy, and hungry. He rummaged through the storage and pulled out two bottles of Moomoo Milk Raikou had brought back earlier. He kept one for himself and handed the other to Ho-Oh.

After gulping it down, he let out a satisfied burp. Hugging the Clefairy Doll Entei had found for him, he curled up on the sofa and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Ho-Oh stood nearby, quietly watching the scene. It murmured the human child’s name under its breath.

"Fuyuki…"

No one knew what it was thinking.

The next morning, Fuyuki woke up early.

Seeing Ho-Oh standing nearby with its eyes closed, he suddenly realized that everything from yesterday had really happened. It hadn’t been a dream.

When he stirred, Ho-Oh opened its eyes as well.

"Awake?" it asked softly.

"Yeah!" Fuyuki nodded. He ran to the storage room again, came back with a pile of Berries, handed a few to Ho-Oh, and kept two for himself.

That was his breakfast.

Ho-Oh watched quietly from the side. After Fuyuki finished eating and let out another small burp, it finally spoke.

"You and Entei usually live like this?"

"Mm." He nodded. This was how their days normally went.

After breakfast, sometimes they’d nap at home. Other times, Entei would take him down the mountain to play with the other Pokemon.

No worries. No stress. No pressure from life. Simple, peaceful days.

At least, Fuyuki liked it. Eating, drinking, playing around like a lazy fish every day, getting to pet all the Pokemon he liked.

No more being a burned-out office worker like in his previous life, crushed under mortgages, car payments, and endless obligations.

Just thinking about his past life soured his mood.

Ho-Oh sensed the shift immediately.

Is the little one missing Entei and the others? it wondered.

"There is no need to worry," Ho-Oh said gently. "Once Entei and the others finish their business, they will return to Mount Tensei. Until then, I will stay with you."

"Okay." Fuyuki nodded. Then he thought of Ash, and of the Rainbow Hero.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he lay across the sofa and asked, "Ho-Oh, what does the Rainbow Hero actually do?"

"The Rainbow Hero?" Ho-Oh paused, clearly not expecting the question.

After a moment of thought, it answered, "Like us, the Rainbow Hero bears the responsibility of protecting the weak and preserving peace in the world."

"So Entei and the others went out to meet the Rainbow Hero?" Fuyuki asked.

"Yes, and no," Ho-Oh replied softly. "Only humans who pass my trial can become the Rainbow Hero."

As a reward, they would gain the friendship of the Legendary Pokemon.

And that was not all.

Any human who passed the trial and reached Mount Tensei to meet Ho-Oh would receive its blessing. Their lifespan would be extended by roughly fifty years, and their body would grow far stronger.

The rainbow feather it bestowed also carried its power. If used on a dying Pokemon or human, it could fully restore them and awaken their potential.

However, if a Rainbow Hero later lost their original heart, the rainbow feather would fade, and its power would vanish.

"Humans…" Fuyuki hesitated, then asked, "Ho-Oh, what is the human world like?"

"The human world?" Ho-Oh paused, then realized something.

This child had always lived on Mount Tensei with Entei. He probably knew nothing about the human world.

"Humans," Ho-Oh said gently, "are just like Pokemon. They are another part of this land, living alongside us."

Seeing how curious he looked, Ho-Oh smiled. "If you want to see it for yourself, I can take you."

Fuyuki’s eyes lit up instantly.

"Really?"

If Ho-Oh was willing to take him to the human world, that meant he could rack up a huge amount of Shock Points in one go.

Perfect!

"Of course." As Ho-Oh spoke, a soft blue psychic light gleamed in its eyes.

That gentle power wrapped around Fuyuki and lifted him onto its back.

"I have visited many human settlements," Ho-Oh said quietly. "I understand them better than Entei and the others."

Following it would definitely be fine.

Taking the human child to see the human world would also help draw them closer.

Ho-Oh had already made its decision.

It would start from the beginning and raise this child into a Rainbow Hero, a Rainbow Hero raised by Pokemon.

"Hold on tight."

Ho-Oh let out a clear, melodious cry. It spread its wings, rainbow light blooming around its body as it left Mount Tensei and flew toward the distant horizon.

Looking down at the vast land below, and thinking about how this trip might bring him a massive haul of Shock Points, Fuyuki’s heart raced with excitement.

Ho-Oh, I love you!

Johto, Ecruteak City.

At the heart of this ancient city stood two towering, magnificent structures.

Inside the towers, monks and shrine maidens who worshipped Ho-Oh prayed as they did every day.

"Grandma, can Ho-Oh really hear our prayers?" a girl in shrine maiden robes named Suzune asked the elderly priestess beside her.

The priestess was seventy-eight years old. She had once been a shrine maiden herself, leading ceremonies to honor Ho-Oh. Time had left deep marks on her face.

Her once glossy black hair had turned completely white, and her formerly smooth, fair skin was now lined with wrinkles.

It was said that she had worshipped Ho-Oh, the god who brought happiness to humanity, since the day she was born.

Hearing Suzune’s question, her expression grew solemn and reverent.

"Ho-Oh will hear us. I believe it will hear our voices and return to Ecruteak City, just like it did hundreds of years ago, and rebuild its friendship with humanity!"

Suzune stuck out her tongue slightly.

She had heard these legends countless times. Ever since inheriting the shrine maiden role, she had prayed diligently, yet she had never once seen Ho-Oh.

"Do not show disrespect to Ho-Oh!" the priestess scolded, her face full of devotion. "Back then, it was human greed that made Ho-Oh lose trust in us."

Seven hundred years ago, Ecruteak City built two towers, one to the east and one to the west.

They were raised as symbols of friendship between humans and Pokemon. According to legend, Ho-Oh and Lugia once lived atop those towers.

In that era, the city was protected by the two Legendary Pokemon.

But later, some humans abused Ho-Oh’s power to wage war. In the end, the Bell Tower was burned to the ground.

Disappointed in humanity, Ho-Oh and Lugia left Ecruteak City and cut ties with humans.

The people later built a new Bell Tower on the same land, hoping Ho-Oh would return, but it never appeared again.

After being scolded, Suzune pouted.

Propping her chin in her hands, she thought maybe Ho-Oh had simply found a better place to live.

Suddenly feeling stifled, she asked for leave under the excuse of going to the restroom, then ran alone to the top of the Bell Tower. Lost in her thoughts, she gazed out at the grand scenery around her.

Then, in the distant sky, a brilliant rainbow appeared.

Suzune froze, staring at the skies in disbelief.

This had to be fake. The weather was clear, it hadn’t rained at all. How could there be a rainbow?

The next moment, at the far end of that rainbow, a sacred figure of gold and crimson emerged.

That was…

Her pupils shrank as the figure slowly overlapped with the murals recorded within the Bell Tower.

That was Ho-Oh.

The Legendary Pokemon worshipped for over seventy years by the priestess and the people of Ecruteak City had finally returned.