"How about... we take Cubone in?" Fuyuki couldn't help but suggest.
After all, the hidden realm in their backyard had plenty of space. Never mind one Cubone, it could house a thousand more and still have room to spare.
"If that's what you want," Entei said, looking at Cubone. "But we should ask for its opinion first."
"Right!"
Fuyuki sighed, reaching out to gently stroke Cubone's little face. Then he nestled into Entei's embrace and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, when Fuyuki woke up, Cubone was already gone.
No need to guess where. It had surely run off to be by its mother's side.
Fuyuki quickly ate something, then headed out with Entei to that burial ground belonging to the Marowak.
Sure enough, Cubone was there, crying in grief.
Fuyuki walked over and tried to comfort it:
"There, there. Don't cry, Cubone. Your mom wouldn't want to see you this upset either."
"Cu..."
Cubone looked at him, its eyes swollen and red.
Fuyuki opened his arms toward the little dinosaur.
Cubone immediately threw itself into his arms, bursting into tears all over again.
Fuyuki gently patted its back and spoke: "I've heard that when Pokemon die, their spirits travel to the spirit world to start a new life there. Maybe your mom hasn't made it to the spirit world yet. Maybe she's right here, watching you right now."
"Cu-bone?" Cubone had never heard of such a thing. It lifted its head, looking up at Fuyuki through tear-filled eyes.
"Of course it's true." Fuyuki nodded.
Cubone immediately looked around, searching for any trace of its mother.
But there was nothing.
"Our eyes can't see spirits," Fuyuki said softly. "Even though your mom's body is gone, her spirit will never disappear. Right now, the most important thing is to lay her to rest."
"Cu..."
Cubone blinked, then watched as Fuyuki produced a shovel as if by magic.
A memory buried deep in its genes told Cubone what it needed to do now: dig a grave so its mother could sleep in peace.
It took the shovel and personally dug a hole for its mother. Then it lifted her body, placed her gently inside, and covered her with earth.
Before long, a small mound of earth rose from the ground.
Cubone wiped its tears.
Though it couldn't shake the grief of never seeing its mother again, Cubone knew one thing clearly.
Mother was gone. From now on, it was alone in this world. It had to be strong.
"What are you going to do now? Would you like to come live with me and Entei?" Fuyuki offered.
Cubone wept silently, tears of grief still flowing. It shook its head. "Cu-bone!"
It didn't want to leave its mother's resting place.
Not wanting to worry its friend, Cubone pushed against Fuyuki's back, trying to get him to leave.
"Cu-bone, cu-bone!" Cubone insisted that it would be fine staying here alone.
It wasn't afraid, because its mother was sleeping right here.
"Alright." Fuyuki hesitated, then left some food for Cubone. "We'll come visit you again."
Under Cubone's watchful gaze, the father and son left the burial ground.
Fuyuki's mood was heavy. He sat on Entei's back without saying a single word the entire way, letting out the occasional sigh.
"Free~eh!"
Just then, a familiar cry came from behind.
Fuyuki turned to see a familiar Pokemon flying toward them.
"Butterfree?" Fuyuki looked at it.
This Butterfree had often watched from the side as he and Cubone played in the forest. Eventually, Fuyuki had invited it to join them, and Butterfree became part of the group.
Perhaps because they'd played together so often, Butterfree and Cubone had grown quite close.
"Are you worried about Cubone too?" Fuyuki asked.
"Free~eh!" Butterfree gave a small nod.
It flew alongside Fuyuki and Entei on the way back.
Along the way, Fuyuki offered Butterfree some simple words of comfort, telling it not to worry too much. Cubone would pull through.
And perhaps when it did, that would be the moment it evolved into a Marowak.
Maybe because it had lived in this wild place for so long, Butterfree didn't find the cycle of life and death too difficult to accept.
Every life in this world had an end. It was only a matter of time.
It let out a quiet sigh for Cubone, then turned its gaze toward the peculiar father-son duo.
Back when the forest Pokemon first heard that Entei had adopted a human child, every last one of them had been stunned!
And yet, after all this time, Butterfree had never once heard Fuyuki call Entei "Father." He always just called it by name.
This puzzled Butterfree to no end.
Pokemon were simple creatures. Curious, Butterfree simply asked outright.
"Free~eh?" (Fuyuki, why don't you ever call Entei "Father"?)
Hearing this, both Fuyuki and Entei froze.
He looked at Entei. Entei was looking back at him, seemingly waiting for his answer.
Fuyuki: "..."
Why not?
If he were truly a child, he probably would have started calling Entei "Father" long ago.
But as someone who'd lived a full adult life, Fuyuki had once had his own father. It was hard to use those two syllables for anyone else, let alone a Pokemon.
All this time, he'd been unwilling to acknowledge it, and had never called Entei that.
Entei never asked, so he never brought it up.
But everything Entei had done for him had long since transcended everything. It went beyond the relationship between a Pokemon and an ordinary human.
Now that Butterfree had pointed it out, this unspoken issue between him and Entei could no longer be avoided.
In this moment, looking at Entei's majestic gaze tinged with a flicker of expectation, Fuyuki couldn't help but open his mouth.
Entei had been so good to him. If he didn't say it, Entei would surely feel hurt, surely feel let down.
And after what happened with Cubone, Fuyuki suddenly realized that some things, if left unsaid, might never get the chance to be said at all.
What was there to hesitate about?
With that thought, something in Fuyuki's heart finally let go.
He met Entei's silent, hopeful gaze, turned to Butterfree, and said:
"Because Entei's always been my father! Right, Father?"
He turned back to Entei.
Hearing that word, Entei froze on the spot.
It stared in disbelief, murmuring: "Little One..."
Little One called it Father!
After a brief moment of shock, the old father's heart erupted with joy.
"Free~eh!"
Butterfree's eyes lit up with understanding. So Fuyuki did call Entei "Father" after all!
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You can read up to chapter 91 and more soon on patreon.com/NiaXD.