You need to earn trust

Shinx's body shimmered briefly before she launched herself forward—Tackle! The movement was sharp and sudden, but Charmander sidestepped, barely taking a scratch across his flank.

"Good. Now Scratch, hold back just a little."

Charmander lunged, claws swiping neatly across the Shinx's front legs—not enough to injure, but just enough to make her stumble. She hissed but didn't collapse.

That was Ayan's window.

"Let's do this."

He pulled a Heal Ball from his pocket—its pink and white sheen catching the morning rays—and threw.

The arc was clean. The ball struck Shinx lightly on the back, opened with a pop of light, and pulled her in.

Shake.Shake.Shake…

Click.

Ayan didn't breathe until he heard it.Then—

"YES!"

He actually jumped in place, startling both Charmander and Pidgey.

"I caught a freaking Shinx! A real, honest-to-Arceus Shinx!"

He ran forward and picked up the ball, turning it over in his hands like it was a trophy. The PokéDex chimed with a soft update:

Shinx added to your party. Stored in Heal Ball. Summary?

"No need." Ayan grinned. "We'll get to know each other soon."

He crouched down, brought Charmander close, and offered a berry from his pocket. The lizard took it proudly, chewing with a proud huff. Pidgey fluttered down beside them.

"You guys were amazing," Ayan said, giving them both a gentle pat. "Today's a big win."

But just as he stood up, ready to turn back toward the safe path, a whoosh—a low, powerful sound like wind being torn apart—rippled above them. Ayan's gaze snapped upward.

His eyes widened.

High—very high above the canopy—was a silhouette. Large. Majestic. Orange with cream-colored underwings, antennae trailing in the wind. A massive tail swayed behind it as it soared smoothly across the sky.

Dragonite.

Even from this distance, the pressure was undeniable. Its flight wasn't rushed. It glided gracefully, like it was surveying the land—or maybe just passing by, unconcerned by the affairs of those beneath it.

Ayan's heart pounded. Not with fear. But with awe.

"Dragonite…" he whispered. "That's… that's a wild Dragonite."

He couldn't move. Just stared. The sheer presence of it felt divine. There was no way to catch it—he'd be lucky if he could even hit it with a Poké Ball from this distance. 

Charmander and Pidgey looked up too, heads tilted.

"Char…" (One day.)

"Pi?" (What even is that?)

Ayan couldn't help but laugh softly seeing the calls of his two Pokémon. Oddish didn't utter a single word. She was happy being on the arms of Ayan. Just enjoy being carried around. 

"One day Charmander you will be able to fly too." Ayan said. "You can then carry me." 

"Char!" Charmander gave a thumbs up. It seemed Charmander loved giving thumbs up. 

The Dragonite slowly disappeared into the sky, swallowed by clouds. The moment passed—but it left a mark. Ayan stood there in silence for a long while before checking his PokéDex alarm.

Only five minutes left.

"Time to go," he muttered. Still, his heart was full.

Today, he had battled two trainers. Learned the flexibility of the world. Discovered the radio mechanic. Caught an Oddish. And now… a Shinx. And above all, witnessed a Dragonite in the wild. He pressed the buttons to safely recall his team. The Poké Balls returned to his belt. 

He was back at his room again. Thankfully his mother hadn't come to call. Without wasting any more moment he recalled the Heal ball that had Shinx and recalled it. He opened his PokeDex and checked on Shinx. He had noticed one extra power of his while travelling inter dimensionally, of which he hadn't been notified. He could always leave the things in the game world without it being stolen. It seemed the game world would save his belongings in some kind of extra dimension and safe guarded it, or at least that was what Ayan understood by his travels.

So this time he brought the PokeDex with himself. 

Shinx 

Ability - Rivarly 

Gender - Female

Moves - Leer, Tackle, Thunder Shock

Friendship - 60/255

Ayan closed the PokéDex with a quiet snap and glanced toward the Heal Ball now resting on his desk. The pink-and-white sphere sat perfectly still, and yet, he could almost feel the nervous energy pulsing from within it.

"Let's meet properly, shall we?"

He pressed the center button. A soft burst of white light erupted—and there she was.

Shinx stood on the wooden floor of his room, tail flicking, ears perked and rotating like tiny radar dishes. Her vivid blue-and black fur shimmered under the ceiling light, the golden rings around her eyes giving her an alert, almost regal look.

But she took a step back the moment she saw him.

"It's okay," Ayan said gently, staying seated on the edge of his bed. He kept his hands on his lap—non-threatening. "I'm not gonna touch you if you don't want me to."

Shinx's tiny claws flexed slightly against the floor. She glanced toward Pidgey—now perched casually on Ayan's study table, preening her feathers like a queen uninterested in court drama—then back to Ayan.

"Friendship: 60," Ayan muttered, glancing again at the PokéDex. "That's not bad… We'll get there."

He leaned slightly to one side and slowly reached for his travel pouch. From it, he withdrew a Sweet Poké Cube.

"This is for you," he said, rolling it gently across the floor toward Shinx.

The little lion backed away at first—but the cube stopped just before her paws. She sniffed. A moment of hesitation. Then another sniff. Then, without warning, she snatched it up in her mouth.

A beat passed. Then—munch. Her eyes widened. Her ears twitched once. Then she took a more deliberate bite.

"Told you."

"Pi." (What about my snack?)

"You already had mangoes, featherball."

Pidgey fluttered and turned away with a dramatic flick of her wing. Ayan shook his head, then looked back to Shinx, who had now polished off the cube but was still maintaining a three-step distance between them.

"Still not ready to let me pet you, huh?" he asked, voice soft. "That's fine. I just wanted to see you properly. Thanks for letting me."

Shinx didn't answer, of course—but she wouldn't bot away. She knew that Ayan was her trainer. Her tail flicked in an almost curious rhythm. She lowered her head, stretched, and sat down right there, curling her paws under herself like a small feline pillow.