Meanwhile, in an unknown forest...
Paul, with his lifeless eyes, faced the Ursaring in front of him.
He took out his Pokédex and scanned it.
Then he sent out Elekid.
The Ursaring was hit by a Thunderbolt and immediately flew into a rage.
It charged straight at Paul.
Elekid blocked Paul's path.
It was knocked out by Ursaring's arm hammer.
Finally, Paul sent out his Pokémon one by one.
Without exception, they were all defeated by Ursaring.
Paul looked at the Ursaring charging straight at him.
He frowned and threw out his last Poké Ball.
Staravia flew out of the Poké Ball.
With a spread of its wings, it launched a Brave Bird attack directly at Ursaring.
With a single blow, it knocked Ursaring to the ground.
Paul's lips curved into a slight smile, and he nonchalantly threw a Poké Ball.
The Poké Ball hit Ursaring, sucking it inside.
The Poké Ball fell to the ground, shaking wildly, until with a final 'ding', Ursaring was successfully caught.
Looking at the Ursaring in his hand, Paul recalled the battle he had just fought.
He took out his Poké Balls, keeping Elekid's, Ursaring's, and Staravia's Poké Balls.
He released all the Pokémon from the other Poké Balls and told them they were free.
Upon hearing his words, the Pokémon hesitated for a moment, then each went their own way.
Staravia stood on a branch, preening its feathers.
At the same time, it watched Paul's actions.
During the time it had traveled with Paul, he seemed to frequently catch powerful Pokémon and often release weaker ones.
It recalled how it had grown stronger from being weak itself.
Coupled with the journey, following Paul to challenge other Trainers, with both wins and losses.
It shook its head and was recalled into its Poké Ball by Paul.
Soon, Staravia was released again.
On the field was an Ursaring that had already lost its ability to battle.
It looked back at Paul, whose brows were tightly furrowed.
Paul looked at the Ursaring that had lost its ability to battle and scoffed.
"Brave Bird."
Paul recalled Ursaring and gave the command to Staravia.
Staravia glowed as it charged straight at the Medicham in front of it.
The Trainer it encountered this time seemed to be the strongest it had met since traveling with Paul.
Under Paul's command, even with an extraordinary performance, it was still no match for the opponent and Medicham's synchronized teamwork.
After taking a hard hit from a Knock Off, Staravia crashed heavily to the ground, and before losing consciousness...
It suddenly felt so bored.
After regaining consciousness, it followed Paul out of the Pokémon Center.
Paul was looking down, lost in thought, while Elekid looked at Staravia, asking about its injuries.
It shook its head, indicating it was fine.
Then it looked at Paul, who was frowning, and didn't see Ursaring.
Was it released after all?
Staravia thought to itself.
Would it be released too?
Staravia flew in the air, contemplating involuntarily.
During its travels with Paul, at first, it seemed quite excited, able to challenge more opponents.
But after each challenge, its team would change, and at first, it didn't seem to affect it much.
It was just that it no longer bothered to get along with new teammates or get to know them.
It seemed to have gotten used to waking up and finding its teammates gone.
Staravia chirped softly.
It suddenly felt that becoming strong this way was so uninteresting.
It had always been looking forward to a battle like that night, even if it knew it couldn't win, but with its teammates and Trainer working hard together.
But it seemed that this situation wouldn't happen here.
It preferred a lively atmosphere.
Paul was indeed a powerful Trainer, Lucas was right, he was already considered one of the top Trainers for his age.
But why did it start to feel bored following him?
Its ears suddenly recalled Shauna and Lilligant's laughter when she was still at Breeding House.
That's right.
There was no emotion it loved here.
No boisterous sounds of playing around.
When did it start to love a lively atmosphere?
Staravia found a tree and stopped.
Paul noticed its movement, stopped walking, and looked up at the Staravia in the tree with his dead-fish eyes.
Staravia shook its head.
Although it had grown much stronger, this method was too uninteresting.
It quietly looked at Paul below the tree.
Elekid's gaze moved back and forth between it and Paul.
Paul looked at the calm Staravia, which was looking down at him from the tree.
Lucas's face suddenly appeared in his mind, along with the words he said when Paul left.
"Paul, do you really think you are the Trainer Staravia is waiting for?"
At that time, he took it for granted.
Only a powerful him was worthy of a powerful Staravia.
Was he not?
Paul fell silent.
The Trainer he just met, after seeing him release Ursaring, said that he didn't consider Pokémon's feelings. At this moment, he felt Staravia's feelings.
He understood Staravia's meaning.
He stared intently at Staravia, then took out Staravia's Poké Ball.
He threw it with force.
The Poké Ball hit a rock.
It shattered into two halves.
"Whatever you want."
Was he really wrong?
Paul put his hands in his pockets, turned around with Elekid, and left.
Staravia watched his and Elekid's retreating figures, then flapped its wings.
Paul stopped and turned to look at it.
Elekid did the same.
Staravia looked at Paul, the Trainer who chose another path to become stronger. It didn't dislike this behavior, but it had stayed in a Breeding House and had seen how Breeding House Pokémon became stronger, so it found this monotonous journey somewhat uninteresting.
But it genuinely felt that Paul was the Trainer it needed to wait for.
It was just that the methods were different.
Understanding Staravia's meaning, Paul's lips curved into a slight smile.
Elekid also laughed happily at the sight.
Staravia soared into the wind.
It nodded at Paul and Elekid below the tree, leaving a message.
It flew high into the sky.
"If you don't know how to improve yourself in the future, then return to the place where we forged our bond."
"Paul, I will wait for you there."
Staravia flew towards the Breeding House.
Paul lowered his eyes, then turned.
"Let's go, Elekid."
Elekid, not understanding, followed behind Paul.
It occasionally looked back at the place where Staravia had disappeared.
Inside the Breeding House, Lucas and Shauna were eating in the backyard.
A familiar sound of flapping wings reached their ears.
Lucas looked up.
A Staravia was landing on the closed parasol.
It quietly watched them.
Lucas saw Staravia.
He swallowed the food in his mouth.
Then he softly said, "You're back?"
Staravia preened its feathers and nodded.
"Did you tell him?"
Staravia continued to nod.
It looked around and noticed some Pokémon it didn't recognize.
Shauna ran over with Mime Jr. and the others.
Staravia didn't come down but looked down at Shauna, who was looking up at it.
It smiled gently.
"Welcome home, Staravia."
"Mime Jr.~"
Lucas returned to the kitchen and got some Pokéblocks for Staravia.
Looking at Staravia eating with its head down.
Lucas recalled the moment Paul left.
"Staravia, if you ever come back, you can tell him to come and see the Breeding House."
Staravia nodded, then flapped its wings.
It caught up with Paul.
He remembered the young man with the dead-fish eyes and a stubborn expression.
Lucas picked up the Berry Juice.
"Welcome home, Staravia! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"Kekeke! La ji~"