Returning

The wind howled as Staraptor soared through the sky, carrying Rei on its back. The vast wilderness stretched below them, but Rei had eyes for only one thing—the village.

It had been two years and one month since he had disappeared into the forest. He had survived. He had grown stronger. Now, he was finally coming back.

Below, Staraptor let out a powerful cry, its voice echoing through the sky. The village came into view, nestled between rolling hills and thick forests.

Rei's heart pounded in his chest.

Would they still remember him?

Would they welcome him back?

As Staraptor descended, the village stirred with panic. People gasped, pointing at the sky as the massive bird of prey dove toward them.

"A Staraptor!" someone shouted.

"It's attacking!" another villager cried.

Almost instantly, several trainers released their Pokémon. Mightyena, Arcanine, and Machoke stood ready, prepared to protect their home.

But then—

"STOP!"

A voice boomed through the chaos.

Elder Garon.

The village elder stood tall, his cane planted firmly in the ground. His sharp eyes had caught something the others hadn't.

There was a person riding the Staraptor.

He raised his hand, ordering the trainers to stand down. The villagers hesitated, eyes still locked on the massive bird, but they obeyed.

As Staraptor landed, dust and wind kicked up, momentarily blinding everyone.

Then, the dust settled—

And the villagers froze.

Because the boy who slid off Staraptor's back, the boy they had all believed to be dead.....Rei.

The silence broke like a dam bursting.

"Rei?!"

"Is that really him?"

"Rei's alive!"

People rushed forward, surrounding him. Hands grabbed his arms, touching his face, as if making sure he was real. His childhood friends, Mira, Theo, Elise, Arnold, all pushed their way through the crowd.

Mira was the first to speak.

"Rei… You're really back," she said, her voice shaking. Her eyes were wide, disbelief warring with joy.

Theo punched Rei's shoulder—hard. "Two years and you just show up on a freaking Staraptor?! What the hell, man?!"

Elise was crying. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched his arm. "I thought—I thought it was my fault—I thought you were—"

Rei smiled softly. "I'm here, Elise. I'm alive."

Elder Garon pulled him into a tight hug. No words were spoken, but Rei felt the warmth, the relief, the unspoken grief that had lingered for years.

They had all thought he was dead.

And now, here he was.

After the initial chaos, Elder Garon led Rei to his house, where the villagers gathered around to listen.

"So, tell us," the elder said, his voice deep and firm. "What happened to you?"

Rei took a deep breath.

He told them everything.

From the moment he had gotten lost in the storm, to surviving in the forest, to training with Tropius, Vileplume, and Ludicolo. He spoke of the dangerous battles and of the Onix fight. He didn't tell them about the powerful core technique he had developed.

When he finished, the village was silent.

The children stared at him in awe. The adults exchanged glances, understanding just how much this boy had been through.

Elder Garon finally spoke.

"You have survived in the wild for two years. You have raised a Pokémon to be powerful, stronger than most of our village's own."

Rei met his gaze, standing tall.

The elder nodded approvingly.

"And now, what do you wish to do, Rei?"

Rei clenched his fists. His voice was clear.

"I want to cultivate powerful Pokémon," he said. "I want to understand them, train them, and find ways to make them stronger. I don't just want to be a trainer—I want to be a breeder"

Elder Garon was silent for a moment, then he smiled.

"You have grown, Rei," he said. "You are no longer a lost child, but a young man with purpose."

The elder turned to the villagers and lifted a small object in his hand.

A Pokéball.

"Rei, you are now ten years old. In our tradition, that is the age of adulthood. Now, you can officially have your own Pokémon."

He handed the Pokéball to Rei.

It felt heavy in his hand—not just in weight, but in meaning.

Rei turned to Staraptor, who had been watching silently.

His partner. His greatest companion.

He stepped forward, reaching out a hand.

"Staraptor," Rei said softly. "Will you be my Pokémon?"

The massive bird let out a cry, lowering its head in acceptance.

Rei tapped the Pokéball to its forehead—

Click.

And just like that, Staraptor was officially his.

The village erupted into cheers.

His friends surrounded him, laughing, hugging him, teasing him.

Mira wiped her eyes. "You really became strong, huh?"

Theo grinned. "You better let me battle that Staraptor someday."

Elise sniffled. "Don't disappear again, okay?"

Rei smiled. "I won't."

As the night fell, the village celebrated. Rei had returned.

But for him, this was only the beginning.

His journey to create the strongest Pokémon had just begun.