Sitting on Charizard's back, Xinhai looked down as the ground rapidly receded from view.
The dock planks, the moored fishing boats, the familiar houses and streets along the harbor—all of it shrank swiftly, as though gently pushed away by an invisible hand.
Within a few breaths, the full view of Dewford Town spread out before Xinhai—a tiny island shrouded in morning mist and golden sunlight, like a shell lightly cradled by the sea.
The fishing boats in the harbor looked like toys, while the pedestrians on the streets had become moving dots.
Following Xinhai's directions, Charizard adjusted the angle of its wings, tilted slightly, and flew northeast.
The sea wind howled past his ears, carrying a salty dampness and the crisp chill unique to morning.
"Eevee!" (So fast!)
Eevee poked half its body out of Xinhai's pocket, its large brown eyes gazing at the sparkling sea below in the morning sunlight before it quickly ducked back inside.
Sitting on Charizard's back, Xinhai felt the oncoming wind sweep across his cheeks as he looked toward the northern horizon where sea met sky.
Lavaridge Town was not too far from Dewford Town. Flying northeast along the coastline, it would take roughly four to five hours to get there.
But at this speed, even a five-hour journey did not seem so long.
Charizard's flying posture became increasingly relaxed. It seemed to be enjoying the feeling of soaring freely through the sky.
Every so often, it would lower its altitude slightly and skim past a cluster of offshore reefs, startling several Wingull resting on the rocks;
or it would tilt its wings slightly and glide along a warm current above the sea, giving Xinhai a nearly weightless sensation.
Xinhai glanced down at the Eevee in his pocket—the little one had poked out its head