The bond between Fuyuki and Entei began with adoption. Back then, Entei had taken him in, brought him back to Mount Tensei, and raised him there. Naturally, they were the closest of all.
Raikou, Suicune, Marshadow, and Ho-Oh were different. Their relationships formed over time, quietly and naturally, growing closer day by day.
In the eyes of every one of them, Fuyuki was an infant.
As the years passed, they even began to see themselves as his father or mother.
After all, this human child was someone they had watched grow, from a tiny little bundle into the boy he was now.
Winter settled over Mount Tensei, blanketing the mountains in pure white snow.
With nothing to do and boredom setting in, Fuyuki bought a television from the system shop. He curled up at home with Entei and the others, watching TV together.
Sacred Fire blazed in the fireplace, filling the room with warmth.
He directed Marshadow to help lift the television onto the stand, connect the system-made signal receiver, plug it in, and turn it on.
The static vanished, replaced by vivid images.
"Professor Oak's Summer Camp is now open for registration! Here, you'll follow Professor Oak into forests, river valleys, and grasslands to observe wild Pokemon up close!"
"You'll have a full seven days to interact and spend time with gentle, adorable wild Pokemon. During those seven days, you'll spend one wonderful night after another beneath the stars, together with Professor Oak and Pokemon!"
"If you want to join the camp and observe wild Pokemon up close, pick up your phone and dial the number at the bottom of the screen to sign up!"
A gentle female voice introduced the program.
As she spoke, images of outdoor camping appeared on the screen, along with Professor Oak smiling as he introduced Pokemon to wide-eyed children.
"Huh? The first ad is Professor Oak?" Fuyuki was a little surprised, but he didn't dwell on it.
From what he knew, Professor Oak held events like this all the time. Come to think of it, Ash and Serena had met at one of his summer camps.
Leaning back against Entei's warm body, Fuyuki pressed the remote and changed channels. Professor Oak's face appeared again.
"Welcome, everyone, to Professor Oak's Pokemon Lecture! Today's featured Pokemon is Pikachu!"
Fuyuki: "..."
Professor Oak really was famous.
After watching for a bit, Fuyuki switched channels again.
This time, another familiar face appeared.
The Kalos Champion, Diantha.
It seemed to be a movie program, and she was the lead actress.
Fuyuki watched with interest. The Pokemon beside him, bored themselves, ended up staring at the screen along with him.
"Does Fuyuki like human things that much?" Suicune asked gently.
"Hm? It's not that," Fuyuki said. "It's just that staying on Mount Tensei all the time with nothing to do gets really boring. It feels too lonely."
"Mm…" Raikou thought for a moment, then spoke. "When the Little One grows a bit older, I'll take him outside to play. Let him see the world beyond."
That way, their Little One wouldn't be bored.
"If anyone does that, it should be me," Entei said in a low voice.
Fuyuki: "..."
Suicune looked helpless. After a moment, it turned back to Fuyuki. "Once this winter ends, you'll be seven years old, right?"
Fuyuki nodded eagerly. "That's right!"
"Then what do you want to do when you grow up?" Suicune asked.
Fuyuki had decided this long ago.
"I've seen human kids leave home to travel when they turn ten. When I'm ten, I want to do the same. I want to see the world and all the different places out there!"
His eyes shone with anticipation. Then he looked at Entei.
"And that way, Father won't have to stay on Mount Tensei all the time. I can go out with it and help protect weak Pokemon!"
"Excellent," Ho-Oh said approvingly. Truly worthy of the Rainbow Hero it had raised from childhood.
Entei nodded its massive head lightly, clearly looking forward to that day.
But when the Little One chose Entei, Raikou felt a flash of displeasure.
"The Little One should act together with me," it said.
Entei frowned. "That responsibility should be mine."
"If that's the case," Suicune added calmly, "I could take Fuyuki with me as well."
Suicune usually traveled the world alone, carrying out its duties.
Yet when it imagined traveling with Fuyuki by its side, the idea didn't seem bad at all.
Because of that, the thought of Fuyuki journeying like a human Trainer appealed to it too.
"Ma-sha…" Marshadow watched silently.
It didn't care how the others argued. When the time came, it could just slip into Fuyuki's shadow.
Watching the Legendary Beasts argue over this, Ho-Oh felt a headache coming on.
It made the decision at once. "Fuyuki is my Rainbow Hero. Over the years, I've been the one to bring him into the human world. It is only right that I travel with him."
"Ho-Oh…"
The Legendary Beasts froze.
Then all of them turned to Fuyuki, clearly wanting to know who he wished to travel with.
Fuyuki: "..."
That really was a hard choice.
"I'm not ten yet. Let's talk about it when I grow up!"
There were still three years to go, after all.
Seeing this, the Legendary Beasts and Ho-Oh knew the Little One was dodging the question again.
They looked helpless, but didn't press him.
They would wait until he grew up.
"Still, do you want to become a Trainer someday?" Suicune asked.
Among the Legendary Beasts, Raikou roamed desolate wilderness far from humans. Entei stayed close to weak Pokemon. Suicune, traveling the world to purify polluted waters, was far more familiar with humans than the other two.
At the question, Raikou, Entei, and Ho-Oh all looked over.
"A Trainer…" Fuyuki fell into thought.
What path would he take in the future? He had never really considered it before.
"Trainers are bridges between humans and Pokemon," Ho-Oh said softly, explaining. "They travel with Pokemon and walk every corner of this world together."
"Then I want to be a Trainer!" Fuyuki said.
But compared to challenging Gyms, entering League tournaments, or becoming the strongest, what he truly liked was something else.
Catching Pokemon he loved, and living together with them on Mount Tensei.