Pokemon: A New Path

As parents, weaning a child requires determination.

For a baby, weaning marks their very first step toward physical and emotional growth.

And the biggest mistake during this process is giving in too easily, rushing to comfort and feed the baby at the first cry. If weaning is delayed and repeated inconsistently, it can affect a child's emotional development. That push and pull, sometimes offering love and sometimes withdrawing, can destabilize the child's sense of attachment.

Naoki knew this.

He stood by the window, watching little Elara sit on the grass outside, sniffling and crying. Gritting his teeth, he turned away, pretending not to hear her. He headed back inside but continued to monitor her from behind the curtain, hiding next to Koraidon.

After a while, Elara paused. She looked around and realized—Daddy was gone! He had slipped away when she wasn't looking!

Her eyes instantly welled with fresh tears, not from hunger this time, but from deep, teary-eyed heartbreak.

The three Legendary Beasts, Entei, Suicune, and Raikou, were lying nearby, watching her with concerned expressions. They didn't quite understand human parenting, but they could tell something serious was going on.

Naoki had explained earlier that humans were different from Pokémon. In their world, weaning was essential for healthy growth.

Still, seeing little Elara crying like that made the three Pokémon, who had cuddled with her since infancy and watched her grow, feel uneasy.

Suicune glanced subtly toward the house. As expected, Naoki was peeking out from a corner.

Entei furrowed his brow. Clearly, they couldn't just sit by and watch.

With a solemn nod, the Legendary trio silently agreed, they would help with the weaning.

Entei rose and walked calmly toward Elara.

The tearful little girl looked up. When she saw Entei, her expression softened, and she reached out to him with tiny arms, seeking comfort.

Step one of weaning: redirect the baby's attention.

Entei's deep, gravelly voice carried an unusual warmth. "Elara, your dad is doing this because he loves you. How about we go have some fun together, hmm?"

Without waiting for her response, since she likely didn't understand anyway, Entei gently gripped her clothes and flipped her onto his back.

Elara landed safely on his furred shoulders, letting out a startled squeal as she clung to his thick mane.

Naoki, still hiding, peeked again just in time to see Entei give him a knowing look before sprinting toward the lake.

Elara shrieked in surprise, then laughter, as the wind whipped past her cheeks and the scenery zoomed by.

Mission: distraction, successful.

Entei galloped into the lake, splashing forward with powerful strides.

They passed through the mirrored dimension and emerged near the radiant World Tree.

Elara had never met Ho-Oh, the majestic Guardian of the Skies.

Today seemed like the perfect day to change that.

Suicune and Raikou followed closely behind. In moments, the three Legends and the little girl on Entei's back vanished from the pasture.

Watching from a distance, Naoki felt a strange pang of emotion.

Looking at Elara's joyful expression, he couldn't help but wonder, did she already see Entei as her new dad?

And if he were to step in now, would she see him as the bad guy… and push him away?

The thought stung.

"No, Koraidon, we have to follow them," Naoki said firmly.

Koraidon let out a resigned little grunt. "Gah..."

Man and Pokémon set off quietly, trailing behind the Legendary Beasts. They didn't follow too closely, choosing instead to watch from afar, remaining unseen.

When they arrived at the World Tree, Entei didn't stop at the guild headquarters. Instead, it looked up and leapt onto a thick branch, beginning to run upward along the vast limbs of the glowing green tree.

Step by step, they climbed until they reached the top canopy of the World Tree.

There, surrounded by radiant foliage, stood the majestic Ho-Oh, the Rainbow Pokémon, its wings shimmering in the light as it gazed out across the land.

"Lord Ho-Oh!" Entei called out respectfully as it landed behind the great bird and bowed low.

Perched atop Entei's back, Elara bounced gently, completely unafraid. Instead, she giggled like she was on a pony ride.

Hearing the voice, Ho-Oh turned and noticed the small child riding Entei.

"Who is this?" it asked with a tilt of its head. But even before the words left its beak, Ho-Oh had already sensed the answer.

This child carried Naoki's scent. There was no doubt.

"This is Naoki's daughter," Entei confirmed. "She's being weaned and was crying at the ranch. We brought her here to cheer her up."

"I see," Ho-Oh replied softly, understanding now.

Elara, ever curious, looked up at the majestic bird Pokémon before her. Her big eyes sparkled with wonder instead of fear.

"Wooooaah!!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with awe.

Ho-Oh narrowed its eyes gently, a soft rainbow light beginning to glow from its feathers. Slowly, a single feather shimmered free and floated down toward Elara.

Children naturally love shiny things.

Elara instinctively reached up, grasped the feather in her tiny hands, and waved it around with innocent fascination.

"Yiyiya!" she squealed.

Watching this, Entei exhaled in relief, his heart settling.

Ho-Oh's voice came again, gentle and filled with purpose. "Go now. Until the day she's grown, the three of you must protect her with all your strength."

"Yes, Lord Ho-Oh!" the three Legendary Beasts responded in unison, bowing deeply.

With that, they turned and began their descent, returning quietly to the Expedition Guild, still guardians of the realm, now guardians of a child.

The three Legendary Beasts stood quietly beside the fountain, watching the joyful buzz of Pokémon all around them. Elara's wide eyes sparkled at the vibrant scene.

"Would you like to go play with them, Elara?" Entei rumbled gently, turning his large head toward the little girl on his back.

Whether or not she truly understood his words, Elara suddenly slid off Entei's back with a soft giggle, her gaze fixed on the Pokémon around her like she'd just discovered a brand new world.

The nearby Pokémon soon noticed the scene.

"Pika?"

A Pikachu, wearing a small apron from its job at the nearby tavern, bounded over curiously. It looked up at the human child with a tilted head and puzzled expression.

Who was this? And how had a human child made it all the way here?

Entei calmly answered, "She's Naoki's daughter. Her name is Elara."

Pikachu's ears perked up at the mention of Naoki. It knew him well.

"Pikachu?!" it exclaimed, eyes widening with recognition and surprise.

Soon, more Pokémon began to gather around. Word spread quickly—Naoki's child was here.

Naoki stood a short distance away, quietly watching the scene unfold. His heart warmed with pride.

Just like him, Elara seemed to have a natural gift, Pokémon adored her.

Though she was only nine months old, her energy had limits. After about thirty minutes of play, Elara started to yawn, her little body growing sluggish and drowsy.

Noticing this, Entei padded over and gently lay down beside her, creating a warm and comforting spot.

Elara snuggled against his thick, furred body, let out one final yawn, and drifted peacefully into sleep.

Watching her, Naoki smiled softly.

"Gahi?" Koraidon grunted quietly.

"Let her rest here for a bit," Naoki replied.

His gaze shifted to the familiar glint of something in Elara's pocket.

The Rainbow Feather.

That was Ho-Oh's feather, bestowed only to those it deemed worthy.

Was Elara chosen too? Naoki blinked in quiet awe.

Could it be… that Elara might become a Rainbow Hero one day, like Ash?

The thought filled him with both excitement and hope.

Such a future would be a tremendous blessing for her.

Naoki took a deep breath, a smile still lingering on his face.

One day, perhaps.

But for now, he had ranch work waiting.

Turning quietly, he and Koraidon headed back home, ready to dive into the day's chores, the image of his daughter curled beside Entei nestled in his thoughts.

...

Next Bonus @2k

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