Pokémon: The Reemployment of the Retired Champion of Paldea

(Double Chapter)

Although they had already witnessed their companion's heartless escape with their own eyes, when Lucas finally pronounced the matter settled, the two Sawsbuck could not suppress their disappointment.

Lucas silently watched the two Sawsbuck, waiting for them to make their choice.

The decision was theirs alone—whether they chose to search for their companion or to follow him, Lucas would accept it either way. After all, he'd only chosen to help these two Sawsbuck because of their courage in stepping forward to protect their friend—a spur-of-the-moment act inspired by their character.

He didn't have to wait long. The two Sawsbuck exchanged a glance, then stepped forward in unison, standing at Lucas's side in silent agreement.

They decided to trust one more time.

…

The round trip hadn't taken much time at all. As dawn broke, Lucas returned to the Dratini Lake island, riding Dragonite and holding two used Pokéballs, with Comfey crowning his head with healing flowers.

At this moment, the Dragonair were gazing thoughtfully at the sky, and Delibird, imitating them, plopped down on the ground to stare up at the thickening clouds. Delibird mused that the sky looked just as overcast as that fateful night.

Dragonite's landing immediately drew the attention of all four Pokémon. Led by the shiny Dragonair, the three Dragonair gathered around, concern etched on their faces as they asked what had happened.

With Dragonite surrounded, Delibird got to its feet and waddled anxiously over to Lucas, chirping nervously.

Lucas understood Delibird's unease. Though he had used Ms. Joy's lent psychotherapy books, together with Comfey's Aromatherapy, to soothe Delibird's mental scars as much as possible, psychological trauma wasn't so easily erased. It lingered deep within Delibird's heart, ready to erupt into pain whenever triggered.

Lucas thought for a moment, then knelt down and placed a freshly woven flower crown—made by Comfey in the flower fields—on Delibird's head. Smiling, he said, "Remember: your fear of the sky and thunder isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"Delibird?"

Delibird tilted its head in confusion. Why wouldn't fear be a bad thing?

For Delibird, just recalling the agony and terror of that night drained all its courage.

"Tonight, try to face it head-on. What brings you pain now may become the fuel that makes you stronger." Lucas gently patted Delibird's head, his voice carrying a subtle, persuasive undertone.

If tonight's plan was to succeed, he had to plant the seeds of confidence in Delibird's heart ahead of time. Only then could he encourage Delibird to make a choice.

…

Over the next while, Lucas released the two Sawsbuck from their Pokéballs and personally performed a basic check-up, then let Comfey fully heal their wounds.

Many of the bite marks left by Lycanroc slowly healed under Comfey's Floral Healing. Through his conversations with the Sawsbuck, Lucas learned more about them: one was male, the other female, childhood friends who had grown up together in their herd—fitting all the hallmarks of a romance game.

Even without relying on scent to distinguish Pokémon, Lucas could easily tell the two apart thanks to subtle differences. Sawsbuck are the evolved form of Deerling and are most widespread in the Unova region.

Sawsbuck have a very rare trait: their appearance changes with the seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

The Sawsbuck Lucas encountered were in their spring form, looking little different from regular deer. Their deep brown fur and antlers, shaped like tree branches adorned with pink blossoms, made them especially beautiful.

To Lucas, the biggest difference between the two was the flowers on their antlers. All Sawsbuck, regardless of gender, have those branch-like antlers, but the male's flowers were vibrant and almost peach-pink, while the female's were a much paler pink—a stark contrast.

Unlike ordinary flowers, Sawsbuck's antler blossoms emitted a faint, fresh fragrance, which piqued Comfey's interest. Comfey decided to ask the Sawsbuck to exchange some flowers for making garlands once they returned to the farm.

What Comfey didn't know was that, if it asked, the two grateful Sawsbuck would gladly agree without hesitation.

…

The day passed in quiet waiting.

Lucas would occasionally ride Dragonite to explore the islands and shores near the Casseroya Lake, hoping to find Pokémon suited for the farm—like Gogoat, Tropius, or Nacli.

Unfortunately, his luck seemed spent after meeting the Sawsbuck. With wild Pokémon constantly on the move and the weather dreary, he didn't encounter a single target.

By late afternoon, the sky was completely overcast. Bitter winds howled, making the leaves on the lake island rustle and scrape together.

Lucas had securely anchored his tent on the island. Although the place wasn't very large, the Dragonair assured him that even recent typhoons and storms hadn't flooded it. Besides possible waves and strong winds, it was relatively safe.

He had already recalled the Sawsbuck into their Pokéballs, as there was no shelter from the wind and rain on the island and the tent would be too cramped for them. The Pokéballs were much more comfortable.

Holding an umbrella, Lucas looked up. Even without Dragonite or the Dragonair warning him, he could tell from the sky that a downpour was imminent.

Sure enough, after the water-type Pokémon in the lake began surfacing more frequently, rain started to fall—first in drops, then in sheets, becoming a torrential downpour in moments.

The rain drummed incessantly on the lake's surface. It was the perfect weather for curling up in bed, but Lucas felt a surge of excitement—because, along with the rain, the sky now boomed with rolling thunder!

Lucas's spirits rose as he raised his umbrella, eyes fixed on the sky, waiting for the right moment.

Delibird pressed close to Lucas's feet, fighting its terror with all its might. Its heart pounded like a drum, almost in sync with the thunderclouds.

Clinging to Lucas to avoid being blown away, Comfey tried to calm Delibird with its floral scent, but the wind and rain quickly dispersed the fragrance.

Thunder rumbled continuously in the clouds, but there was no lightning.

Lucas frowned. If this was all the storm could do, it wouldn't be enough for his plan.

Thinking, Lucas's gaze fell on the three Dragon Orbs on the Dragonair. An idea struck him.

As a former Dragonair trainer, Lucas knew their abilities well. Before evolving into Dragonite, Dragonair could use the three orbs on their necks and tails to alter the weather—unlike simply using Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Hail, or Sunny Day, Dragonair could truly manipulate the elements using the energy in their crystals.

Unfortunately, after evolution, the orbs disappeared. Though Dragonite gained greater strength and retained some weather abilities, it could no longer command the wind and rain as freely as before.

Now, with three weather-controlling Dragonair by his side, Lucas didn't care if their power couldn't cover the whole lake—just influencing the area nearby was enough.

With that, Lucas quickly explained his plan to the Dragonair.

They readily agreed. Normally, they wouldn't misuse their innate abilities, but since this was for a good cause, they didn't mind helping.

The rain streamed down the Dragonair's long, slender bodies, making their scales look slick. As water-dwelling Pokémon, they didn't mind the rain at all.

Led by the shiny Dragonair, Dragonite's three godmothers spread their wings and soared into the sky. The storm couldn't hinder them; within seconds, the three had become tiny specks in Lucas's eyes.

Then, the crystals on their bodies began to glow bright blue, radiating a mysterious aura that spread from them outward.

The feeling of controlling the weather was very strange as if they'd merged with nature itself.

Following Lucas's instructions, the three Dragonair worked together, drawing all the electric energy in the storm clouds above Casseroya Lake toward their area. The effect was immediate.

Lightning split the sky right overhead, and the Dragonair returned exhausted, clearly drained from the effort.

Lucas knew the time had come. He picked up Delibird and carried it to Dragonite, who was already prepared, and handed Delibird over.

"Delibird's in your care—let it see for itself your legend of braving the fiercest storms."

Even as Dragonite carried it straight toward the heart of the lightning, Delibird remained in a daze.

Only when it realized it was soaring high above, surrounded by a sea of lightning, did Delibird's heart start pounding as if it would leap from its chest.

Dragonite, holding Delibird tightly, noticed its trembling and gently soothed it: "Drago~!" ("Don't be afraid, I'm here.")

Maybe it was Dragonite's solid embrace that gave Delibird a bit of courage, for it managed a shaky reply: "Deli...delibird~!" ("It's so high, and there's so much lightning. I'm scared...")

Delibird squeezed its eyes shut, unwilling to look, but the rolling thunder couldn't be blocked out and seemed to grow louder in its imagination.

Dragonite was a bit surprised. It hadn't interacted much with Delibird before, and though it didn't mind lightning itself, it hadn't expected a fellow flying-type to fear the sky.

Remembering Lucas's instructions, Dragonite patiently began coaching Delibird: "Drago~" ("Don't look down. Try opening your eyes and look around.")

Recalling Lucas's words, Delibird, guided by Dragonite's patience, slowly opened its eyes—and froze.

It was in the very heart of the storm, where the clouds and lightning were thickest.

Pitch-black clouds blocked out all light, but the constant lightning illuminated the area like day, creating an apocalyptic scene.

It was undoubtedly the most dangerous place, but Dragonite's flight was perfectly steady. Sometimes it elegantly dodged the bolts; other times, a green shield would appear, and even the most powerful strikes simply rippled harmlessly across it.

The howling wind couldn't affect Dragonite's flight at all. Delibird knew it would have been swept away, but Dragonite rode the winds, soaring freely through the sea of lightning.

Dragonite let out an excited cry: "Drago~!" ("See? As long as you have the right skills and strength, even a place like this can't threaten us!")

Dragonite had to admit it was having a blast. Carrying Lucas, it never got to challenge storms like this. Conquering this tempest filled it with a sense of accomplishment.

Delibird was speechless, its fear diminishing in the face of Dragonite's prowess, replaced by awe, shock, and a deep, hidden envy and longing.

The lightning Delibird had once feared was nothing compared to this raging sea of thunder.

Dragonite's exhilaration, both in words and by proximity, infected Delibird. It remembered its old wish—its dream—of flying freely in the endless sky.

Dreams are called dreams precisely because they seem unreachable—yet that's what makes chasing them worthwhile.

Delibird's mind cleared. To its surprise, its terror had faded, replaced by a powerful yearning to fly.

Delibird's gaze grew determined. It pleaded to Dragonite: "Delibird~!" ("I want to... try dodging the lightning like you!")